What Ties You and I
by SouthernMic
Summary: Regina/Other Female, and later established Swan Queen. I had to do a fair bit of world building, so please be patient. I've never really liked the anti-climatic way that the show dealt with Cora, etc. I decided to fix it. Beta-ed By: Sly Eye
1. Chapter 1

**Elven Ruling Family**

Queen Briseis (d)

(m) King Auberon II (d)

(child) King Auberon III

(m) Queen Marcia (d)

(child) Etain

**CHAPTER 1**

Excerpt from diary of King Leopold, Ruler of a Kingdom of Man, the Land of Fairytales, Year 1137 of Man

_ The Fairy King has finally put aside his grief to welcome his daughter into the kingdoms of man and mythical creatures. Where once there was nothing but mourning in the lands, they have been allowed celebrations. King Auberon's daughter, Etain, the first female child born to the royal line in several generations, is to be presented to the kingdoms of Fay and Man. My own daughter and I have been asked to attend the Presentation. We travel to the Kingdom of Fairy on the morrow to welcome the birth. _

_ My heart is saddened for the new elven princess. To have her mother die in the birthing is a great tragedy indeed. Although they are a handful of years apart, I do hope my own daughter can find an ally in this new heir. _

The Presentation, the Summer Solstice

Weeping willows littered the landscape. Snow White had only ever seen the low, swaying leaves in books, the drawings rough and vague. Their silver strands stood out starkly against the lush green grasses, swaying lazily in the scented breeze. Every possible color in the rainbow seemed present and dialed up brightly. Human eyes were not trained for such wonders, and King Leopold kept his eyes firmly within the carriage itself.

Snow pressed her face against the coach's window, her face almost splitting with her awe-struck smile. Winged fairies fluttered against the sides of the wagon, feathering their dust against the enameled wood. Unicorns whinnied and danced together in the distance. Winged men danced above the trees while centaurs crashed through them. Mythical creatures of every shape and size dotted the landscapes.

All roads within the Kingdom of Fay led to the ruling family's castle. It served as a stronghold against attack, as well as home to the King and his new heir. In years gone past, the Fay people had retreated to the castle in times of need and in time of celebration. On such a day as this, the roads were congested, brimming with life. The journey was slow, allowing Snow to take her time in staring at all the wonders around her.

Finally they came upon the Fay stronghold; impregnable and beautiful as it stood brightly against the diming dusk. The pebbled path took them up to the castle's ivory laden doors. A procession of elven and fairy warriors stood along the cobbled entryway. As the carriage passed, each warrior raised their swords, the metal glinting against their ornate armor.

The carriage came to a halt before a creature that could only be likened to a mountain. His horned head was massive, but his features were strangely delicate. The twisting horns were adorned with inlets of silver, curving high to meet the heavens. Dark, gray skin was equally decorated with tangled runes of mercury. Bare-chested and muscled, his chain mail skirt rustled softly against his booted legs.

The creature was nothing short of astonishing to the young princess. Wings ruffling as he bent down to greet the small human child as she exited the carriage; he cradled her hands in his giant clawed fingers, impossibly gentle.

"We welcome you to our kingdom small one. My name is Weyland, Protector and General to King Auberon's Winged Armies." Weyland smiled, his eyes crinkling merrily at the edges. "And it is my pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Using just the tip of his index finger, he led the beautiful girl up the marbled stairs to the waiting assembly as King Leopold trailed quietly behind.

1-1-1

Each aristocratic family of Fay and Man were called forth to view the new elven child. Gifts were laid out before the gently rocking basinet as if the girl were some small demigod. Cora waited quietly with her husband and daughter, her cunning eyes taking in everything around them. She had ensured her daughter was flawless and beautifully presented for today. Royalty and wealth would be bursting from every corner of the room, and while Regina had yet to meet her twelfth year, she could still garner the attention of some child prince.

But the powerful witch had another reason for her eagerness. The Fay families grew fewer each year. War with Man and with each other had thinned the population of King Auberon's kingdom greatly. As such, more and more of the mythical creatures found love in the arms of mankind. True love was starting to cross many a boundary. If Cora could find the tiny heir's intended among the gentry of Man, she could bend the boy to her will through magic or her own daughter.

She ushered her husband and daughter into their appointed pew. Cora's grip on Regina was uncomfortably tight as steered the girl towards the center of the cushioned wooden bench. Regina had learned a long time ago not to wince, to keep her face placid and blank. Cora had imparted this skill cruelly, but effectively.

Their time would come soon enough. In the meantime, she would try her damnedest to be patient. Looking up, she watched as the Fairy King's Grand Marshall beckoned the assembled forward, the many guests starting to queue by title, race and lineage. Some didn't bother to rise, knowing they would be one of the last to view the new heir. Cora stayed firmly seated, grimly watching the growing procession.

Three Hours Later

Cora leaned over the Fay girl whose golden eyes tracked her curiously. Wisps of silvery hair dusted her smooth, pale brow. The child's face scrunched up happily at the aging aristocrat who stared down at her critically. Cora gently brushed aside the baby fine hair to peek at the child's sharply pointed ears. The old witch smiled cruelly as she felt Etain's power singe her long fingers. The heir would prove strong in the fay ways of earthen magic.

Leaning further down ever so slightly, she whispered her spell against the child's thrumming heart.

"Show me your heart's true love little one… show me your intended."

A weak beacon of light flowered against the girl's tiny chest. The light trickled down the side of the crib to snake along the marbled floor. It weaved lazily through the many wooden benches, whispering past the throngs of chatting aristocracy. Invisible, it still tickled the feet of those it brushed.

It started to slow as it approached the fourth row of pews… only to stop in front of Cora's own daughter, Regina. The light flared as it wound its way up the child's legs. The brunette's eyes turned curious at the phantom sensation as it swirled tightly before bursting into beautiful silvered sparks against the flustered girl's own heart. Blinking, Regina's hands rose to clutch her warm, joyful heart.

Cora had to bite the inside of her cheek sharply to keep from laughing in delight. Regina was destined to rule the Kingdoms of Fay. The witch's eyes gleamed with the very thought of it. To have her daughter rule such power, to rule it herself by proxy. A child of Cora, a Queen! She liked the idea; she liked the idea very, very much.

The seed had now been planted within Cora Mills. Her daughter would know royalty, or nothing at all.

Several long minutes passed before the final guests were escorted forward to meet the young Princess. King Leopold's hand tightened around his daughter's pale fingers as they glided closer to the bejeweled crib. Snow felt more than saw the magical barrier that protected the tiny child, and felt that same barrier give way to her and her father.

Snow White's tiny hands clutched at the side of the carved basinet whose protective runes shone duly. Sky blue eyes sparkled at the sight of the tiny, magical creature. The fay child squealed in delight as Snow made smiling, strange faces at the wiggling bundle. The human child whispered happily. "One day, you and I will be the best of friends, I promise."

With a formal nod to the seated Fay King, Leopold scooped up his happily yammering daughter. Snow was utterly charmed, her eyes still locked on the wooden rocker even as her father seated them amongst the other Kings of Men. The crowd had quieted to an overwhelmed hush.

Auberon looked on in tired, saddened awe at the tiny bundle fussing quietly in her cradle. He closed his eyes as trumpets blared, signaling the end of the procession. And not for the first time in the many months between his wife's passing and Etain's entrance into this world, he hoped his future would be brighter than his past.

Excerpt from diary of King Auberon, Year 1141 of Man

_I have broken one of our highest laws. I have peered into my child's future, eager to see her life's journey. What father would not desire to know what lies in store for his child? What I have found…_

_ I went to see the accursed imp my father banished from our lands in the time of Dragons and Songs. Rumpelstiltskin's power has always come from fulfilling the forbidden desires of those around him, and the price he forces upon them. Going to him was something I had agonized over, but I had to know. I have always been a man unable to wait for the solution to the puzzle that life brings. Marcia used to tease me relentlessly as I would flick through my father's books to read the endings first. _

_ The imp showed me my beautiful daughter at a young age, running wild in the midst of the Hunt. Marcia's absence was clear as our child's prowess with the blade was well beyond that expected of a proper elven lady. It brought my heart joy to see it. I could not have a son, but my little girl appeared to be more adept at blade and Hunt than any male child could ever be. She was small, fierce and proud. _

_ But as I moved through her many years of life, Etain's days grew darker. Adulthood presented a __human__ lover, one that seemed to twist my child into a cruel, vicious woman eager for violence. War raged within the many kingdoms, a war my child took delight in. _

_I saw my daughter die on her knees, eager and filled with wanting, her blood infusing this woman with dark magic. _

_Revulsion filled me._

_Rumpelstiltskin assured me that this woman is my child's true love. How can this be? Blood, shadow and pain beyond words are the only gifts this human woman seems to bring. I see my daughter bending to her will, being used in more ways than one. It tears at me. _

_How am I to change such a fate? I'd rather see my daughter dead than taken by such a monster. As we take our power from the very earth, Fay magic cannot work against the nature of the worlds, or what the fates have devised. True love cannot be rewritten; it is not within my gift to give, the saving of my daughter. Only the dark hand of Man can work such accursed twisting of the Fates. I must call upon the darkest of them, the cruelest. _

_ Cora. She who has come to me before in my time of need, but I had refused her. I can smell the darkness within her. She makes my skin crawl. Her power is all consuming, and it has destroyed what little love she was capable of. But if dark magic is used for good, is it still so dark? Can she save my child still? _

Year 1142 of Man, Small dwelling on the outskirts of Fay and Fairytales

The King's thick frame filled the doorway easily. War had hardened him in muscle, but also in mind. He was loath to come here, to lay himself low for nothing more than a common human woman. But desire to see his daughter saved brought him here to this wretched house of darkness.

With her back to the door, Cora Mills stood silently in front of the roaring fire that dominated the small cabin. She was tiny, shrunken almost. As the witch turned, the King saw nothing but emptiness in her face. He could smell the wrongness of her, the darkness that churned beneath the surface.

She smiled sweetly at him, the gesture a lie.

"And what brings your Majesty to my humble workshop?"

Auberon reached up to unconsciously grip the handle of his sword, the tiny woman made him so very nervous.

"I need you to take my daughter's true love from her."

Cora turned away from the King hiding her shock, her heart hammering. "And why would I do such a thing? What has your daughter done to deserve this my good King?"

Auberon shook his graying head, his crown catching the reddish firelight. He suddenly looked older, his already creased face frowning deeply.

"Etain will bring destruction to our kingdoms, in the presence of her true love. If I knew the identity of this girl, I would kill her myself. But in this future landscape, I cannot tell who this Queen may be. They will lay waste to each other and everything decent in this world. Their power…it will consume all of us."

Fear made her stomach curdle, sweet tasting bile tickling her throat. Cora had been twisting Regina to her will for years, grooming her for whatever the old matriarch needed. If the elf princess could corrupt her Regina, taking away the obedient little girl she had spent years grooming, and give her magic beyond words as well…

Cora shook her head, clucking her tongue sadly. "This cannot be. Your child is true and good. Surely, she can make this creature a better person?"

Tears stained his voice as he roared back at the conniving creature.

"It has been shown to me by the Dark One himself! Nothing but despair awaits our lands if this is allowed to come to pass." His large shoulders sagged in exhaustion as Auberon sat down heavily. Sleep had eluded him for days as hellish nightmares crept in uninvited. He stared at his hands in broken silence.

Cora's mind raced. Rumple would have shown the King only one of many possible futures, and would have been oddly silent on this fact. The Dark Imp relished carnage, gleefully displaying it to the Elf King. Cora felt the door closing on her daughter's future rule, but perhaps not all was lost. Calculating eyes stared at the King for a few short minutes, assessing, weighing. He had power without measure, power that could be easily transferred if the King was willing.

The witch smiled sweetly, hunching to appear still smaller. "My King, the price is a small one. This much dark magic will surely kill or cripple me. I cannot save your child at the expense of my own…who will care for my Regina if I were to die in the process?"

Auberon lifted his head, hope and fear warring for his expression. "I will care for your child as if she were my own. She will want for nothing for all her days."

The human kneeled before him, clasping his hands tightly between her cool fingers. "You know as well as I what happens to a girl without her mother. Regina will be lost, she will be set adrift in a world where she will have no love of her own." Cora's eyes filled with false tears. "I cannot take what true love my own child has in her life, to save yours."

His golden eyes closed tightly as realization came to him. Cora wanted more than just riches. Far more. "What must I do?"

"Kiss me." Distaste wrinkled the King's brow. Cora slid closer. "Kiss me and the deal is made."

His jaw tightened. "And what exactly is the price for your services witch?"

Cora's smile was dark and far too full of teeth. "The knowing will make the payment harder. But as in all things, there must be balance. Your future will be sacrificed for hers."

He slid his hands out from beneath hers, cupping her face gently. Leaning forward, King Auberon kissed her cold lips. His breath left him in a gasp, magic surging from him and into Cora's waiting lungs. Panting, her skin awash in fairy light, she leaned forward to cradle the suddenly weak King.

Cora sighed softly against the fairy's steel gray hair. "And now, I will make sure that Etain's love will never be returned."


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

Excerpt from the diary of King Auberon, Year 1142 of Man

_The deal has been struck. Cora has ensured that my daughter will never find love with the dark creature of my visions. As payment, I have given the woman witch the last of my strength and power. It will cut my life short by many years, but I would gladly sacrifice myself for my daughter…and I ache to see my Marcia._

_Etain is all I have left of her mother. Etain will, and must be, the very best of us. _

Year 1153 of Man, in the Land of Fairytales

Wind tore through her silver hair, trailing it behind her like a jeweled cape. Her steed's hooves pound heavily into the ground beneath, tearing up bits of earth as power flowed through them both. The Hunt filled her with such maddening ferociousness and such joy as not to be described.

Princess Etain, Heir to the Kingdoms of Fay, had tracked the destructive beast for days. It had killed several unicorns and their Keepers before fleeing her lands, hoping to find escape in the Lands of Men. Keeping sight of its old, leathered wings had been easy. It had tried to circle back on numerous occasions to flay the trailing woman with fire in the hopes of killing or at least dissuading her from her quest for carnage. It had been very wrong.

And now the horrid thing was cornered. She had herded the scaly bastard between two mountain ranges, forcing it to turn and fight the diminutive warrior. The dragon hunched and spun in mid-air as it planned its attack. The horse beneath her thighs whinnied with fear. Lowering its head, nostrils flaring with fire, the dragon finally struck.

She roared, her teeth bared with bloodlust and anger. Etain launched herself from the panting horse straight into the face of the looming dragon. With a beat of its scraggly wings it soared upwards, taking the elf with it. Her father's mythical sword flashed brightly before striking the elder creature square in the eye. Nothung was tied magically to its owner and wielder, allowing him or her to imbue it with their very soul. Silver lightening crackled along its blade, destroying the eye and head in lay within.

The dragon disintegrated in a shower of dark magic, littering the ground beneath them like burnt confetti. Etain soared backwards, falling through the sky like a crippled griffin. She reached towards the sky as magic crackled along her outstretched fingers and with a howl of triumph, the small woman dropped right in front of an awe-struck human woman who through the final moments of the hunt, had stood rooted to the spot. Snow White stared wide-eyed and horrified at the mess that continued to rain from the sky. Huffing, the smaller woman stood up to greet the woodland dwelling fugitive.

It took several seconds for the fairytale princess to recognize the gore soaked warrior in front of her. Her blade glimmered with the dragon's blood, thick and shining. The elven heir looked much older than the sixteen years that had passed between the child's Presentation and now. She also looked madder than the fabled Hatter of Fairytale Lands.

The slim woman smiled, her teeth sharper than those of any child born of man. "Come to partake of the Hunt human?" The elfish beauty leaned closer to whisper against Snow's pale neck. "Come with me. You can be a hunter or the prey, whichever… brings you more joy." Snow shivered as thoughts unbidden tugged at her libido. Without thinking, the brunette raised her hand to rest it against the armored chest in front of her. And pushed the smaller woman away slightly, needing to put a few more inches between them.

"Etain, Child of King Auberon whose Presentation I witnessed firsthand almost sixteen years ago." Snow swallowed hard. "My how you've grown."

The elf grinned mischievously. "Ah, but time moves differently in the land of Fay! And you must be…" golden eyes narrowed in thought. "Snow White. Child of King Leopold, Heir to the Fairytale Land of Man."

Bowing, Etain took one of the human's leather clad hands to kiss it gently. "Apologies your highness. My father claims that I have been allowed to grow up wild amongst the many forests that dot our lands and my manners are atrocious."

Turning, the shorter woman laced Snow's hands with the crook of her elbow. "It has been far too long since our meeting don't you think? Tell me, how goes the fairytale kingdom of men?"

Snow's face darkened sadly. "My father's kingdom is no longer my own. My stepmother has taken it from me, and would have my life along with it were it within her power."

Etain froze, her jaw tightening. "I think perhaps we should speak on this subject a bit longer your grace. The chaos that infests one land will surely bleed into another."

Excerpt from the diary of Princess Etain, Heir to the Kingdom of Fairy, Year 1155 of Man

_I have spent almost two years with the heir to the kingdom of Fairytales, and the time has come for us to weigh in on her future. We have watched as the kingdom of fairytales has careened further into ruin. My father and I have spoken on the subject for many days; we will help Snow and her new husband in their bid to free themselves from their evil monarch. He fears that the continuing chaos in the realms of man will bleed over into our kingdom shortly. The Evil Queen's reach will not be contained within the late King Leopold's land of fairytales. _

_ My father has made his decision; we will fight beside the children of men. We will fight and bleed for them, these ignorant creatures of war. I pity them in a way. Magic does not come to them naturally. They must steal, beg and pay for its graces. Nature has deemed them unfit to wield such wonders, and rightly so. They take it to a place of cruelty with their greed and lust for control. Snow White however, she makes me see the spark of kindness in mankind that is worth redeeming. _

_ But I will not help them; the King will not release me to the battle. I have shown promise in the ways of the Hunt, but I am yet too young. My father has always been a creature of great wisdom and in this, I must bow to his wishes. I am too young in the ways of war. Fairies are creatures of magic, as are all within our realms. And we are easily corrupted, particularly in the absence of love. My King worries on this greatly. He thinks I have never known true love. _

_ I cannot help but share his worry, what will become of me without this intrinsic part of us? I see the darkness within me growing stronger with each passing day. Something pulls at me, tears at whatever light resides in my heart. It is like a part of me falls deeper into despair and evil. _

_ I have dreams, horrible dreams. I dream of a dark haired human beauty who is slowly losing herself and her mind. Her magic is lustful in its power. Purple and consuming. She calls me to her. How can a human wield such madness? The children of men do not understand what their magic does to us…and what our magic could do to them. _

_ As I lay down to sleep, I find myself unable to care. I ache to lie down beside her, even if they are nothing but dreams. _


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

The Land of Fairytales, Year 1155 of Man, The Estate of James and Snow

James slammed his gloved hand impatiently against the wooden table at which he sat, the books and maps jumping high into the air. The argument between the human royals and Weyland had grown increasingly more volatile. "We cannot gain the support of Wonderland or any of the Frontland tribes without the Fay. Without Etain and her father our alliance falls to ash!" The young prince rubbed his face wearily as Snow came to caress his sandy colored hair soothingly.

Silver brows knitted in thought as the princess finally turned to face the room. "My father grows weaker by the day. Our magic and our doctors have been unable to treat him, a fact we have held in secret even from the Fay themselves. He is not strong enough to lead our armies into battle against your Evil Queen. My people need a warrior to rally around, one that can lead by example."

Weyland stepped forward solemnly, his voice rich and deep. "They have that already your highness. You possess the love and respect of our people. We will fight beside and for you if you will it."

Etain shook her head firmly. "The King has forbidden me to take the field of battle. I am his only child and heir. He fears for my safety in this strange realm of mankind."

Snow moved to the elven woman, her eyes desperate as she gripped the silver-haired woman's hands tightly. "Please, we haven't the men to fight her alone." The brunette's voice dropped to a whisper. "Please I'm begging you, have mercy on us."

The elf closed her eyes tightly, wondering if there would ever be a point Snow White wouldn't be able to pull at her heartstrings so easily.

Throne Room of King Auberon III

Etain stank of horses and grit as she rushed through her family's estate. It was still early evening in the Fay kingdoms, and her father would be holding court until dusk. After several long minutes, she finally reached the elaborate, bolted wooden doors that would lead her into the King's throne room. As she reached forward to magically open the barrier, Etain paused.

Here, she was nothing more than another subject within King Auberon's kingdom. A daughter's desire could not outweigh the needs of a kingdom. Etain had asked for little as a child, knowing her father's first duty was to their people. It had proven to be a lonely start in life. But now she felt the stirrings of friendship with the besieged, human royalty and she ached to protect it. Taking a deeper breath, she pushed forward, holding the newfound love close.

The door opened slowly, screeching along the paved flooring beneath its frame. The hall stood painfully empty as she entered. Her father had dismissed the various courtiers as his health weakened, leaving this once bustling open air space devoid of warmth. She felt exposed as she walked the room's length, her steel tipped boots echoing brightly.

Auberon sat hunched. His face was darkened by shadow as the torch light failed to touch him. One of his many aids stood beside the sculpted throne, speaking quietly, hands gesturing. Golden eyes mirroring her own tracked Etain's progress, the King unable to keep a smile from his lips. He waved away the lingering aid, standing slowly to meet his daughter.

Etain bowed deeply in front of her father's throne, touching her forehead in the Fay solute to royalty. She tried desperately to organize her thoughts, to frame her questions and her desires. Auberon chuckled as he watched his daughter's face display a kaleidoscope of emotions, fascinated. While his daughter had definitely taken after his royal lineage in terms of looks, she had inherited his wife's expressive personality.

"Sit child, if you think any harder smoke will start to billow from your ears!"

Blushing, the princess took a seat on the steps leading up to the throne as her father rearranged himself to sit. Etain remembered sitting like this for hours, watching her King hold court, learning from his patience and wisdom. Her father smiled softly as he petted her hair absently. "I know what you're going to ask for. Even now I can read you so easily." He leaned down to kiss the top of her head. "You love them don't you?"

She thought for several seconds. Her father wasn't asking her an uncomplicated question. Love was a powerful force in their world, one that could wreak havoc, or save souls. The feeling, regardless of any romantic connotations, would bring responsibility. Etain would be tied to Snow and her family by love and the elven magic that would come it. But love them she did, the fairy woman could not deny it.

She met her father's eyes bravely. "Yes. I do not know when I started to see them as more than friends, but it is there all the same."

He signed heavily, deflating. "Then I cannot keep you from them. They are worthy of your love, but be warned child. Love, like magic, comes at a cost."

King Auberon drew his sword slowly, balancing it in his pale hands. He gazed at it in contemplation, his golden eyes stormy. Finally, he nodded to himself in quiet agreement. The Fay King held out Nothung to his daughter, both of them knowing that he would never posses it again. Etain shook her head hard, refusing to take the magical weapon from him.

"Take him, he will keep you safe." Her father's hands gripped hers weakly. Tears stung her eyes at the sight of her suddenly aged King. He pressed the sword tightly into Etain's smaller fists. "You have wielded him in the Hunt, now wield him in battle."

Nothung glimmered brightly as the King's hands fell away slowly. The sword had always been her father's, and as such, Etain had never been truly able to tap into its great wealth of magic. His releasing of it would enable the princess to bend the stored power to her will. The sudden pool of magic felt euphoric, making the young woman ache to simply immerse herself in its wonders.

The elderly elf leaned forward stiffly. Cupping his daughter's chin, he kissed her forehead gently.

"Come back to us. I cannot lose you and your mother both."


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

Three Days Later, Early Afternoon, Stronghold of the Queen of Man, Land of Fairytales

Etain flung her arms in a wide upward arch, dagger and sword taking the lives of the two men in front of her. She was surrounded by the heaving masses of her brethren and Snow's lightly clad armies. The Queen's men were falling before them en masse, the elves pausing over the dead to steal whatever feeble attempts at magic the men possessed.

The Fay Princess closed her eyes tightly as she felt the song of battle thrum sweetly through her. Surrounded by fairies, she felt them reveling in the bloodlust and magic tearing through the battlefield. It was thrilling in a way she had never experienced before. A warning shout rung out, snapping her attention back to the feverish battle and away from a growing ache of adrenaline.

Pivoting, she felt an arrow glance off her armored hip. Brows knitting in concentration she reached out for the archer, feeling the weak pulse of his mind. And squeezed. She felt his mind snuff out instantly, and sensed his body plummet before slamming painfully into the ground beneath him. A savage feeling of triumph swelled inside of her, urging her forward to meet more of the Queen's men.

The elf princess met the blade of her new assailant with glee. Her dagger caught him cleanly beneath his helmet's chinstrap. Blood poured from the wound, streams caking her wrist gauntlets and she slid the blade deeper. Etain shouldered him aside, already reaching for her next target. Fear bubbled sweetly, thickly in the men surrounding her. She could feel it coursing through them, savored it, and drew still more power from the terrified soldiers.

Gleaming streams of fire caught the periphery of her vision. A sole figure stood atop the now-crumbling tower, power pouring forth in waves. Fay heads turned to look at mankind's Queen, in awe and lust for the dark magic blanketing the battle. Etain too felt an all too familiar pull towards the darkness before her, calling to her baser instincts.

Growling, Etain's voice rose sharply as she pointed Nothung at the black leather-clad figure. "Bring her treacherous eyes to me!" The elf twisted to see Weyland and his assembled tear through the skies towards their new target. Pride surged, seeing her subjects dominating the very heavens. Tracking the winged beasts, her eyes finally found Snow and her Prince Charming. There were at the very leading edge of the heaving army, eager to enter the dilapidated tower that served as Regina's stronghold.

Etain looked around frantically, eyes searching for any way to chase the human royalty. She refused to be left behind in their time of victory, knowing that her father would see it unfit for her to be absent at the battle's end. And she could not leave her new human family to fend for themselves. Lacing her voice with her will, she called forth her cavalry.

"Keepers! To me!" Unicorns burst through the tightly packed ranks, brightly colored elves sitting astride the cream colored mounts. The Keepers reached down with long fingered hands, pulling their princess into an armored saddle. They tore through the Evil Queen's ranks easily, trampling the lightly armored knights.

The hammering of hooves alerted Snow and James to her imminent arrival. Snow blinked in surprise at the tall, horned steeds, marveling at the otherworldly cavalry. The human prince lifted his arms, catching the elven warrior as she threw herself from a panting unicorn. James settled the small woman to the ground, his blood smeared face bright with feverish excitement. Etain dismissed the elven cavalry officers with a flick of her fingers; barely watching them disappear into the heaving masses behind them.

Prince Charming eyed the dilapidated door in front, biting his lower lip in thought. Stepping back to leverage his weight, he surged forward to ram his shield-covered shoulder into the thick wood. Splinters exploded inward, revealing a high, winding staircase. They took the cracking steps by twos, sprinting upwards.

Snow somehow reached the top landing first, skidding to a halt in front a new set of doors. Pregnancy had given her a source of strength Etain had never before witnessed. Where the ones downstairs had been bordering on decrepit, these were braced and sturdy. Etain raised her hand and grimaced with effort as the barricaded doors in front of them buckled. The elf drew forth more power before slamming her magic against the doors once more. They ripped apart, metallic shards twisting.

Snow White's stepmother stood stoically amidst the carnage. The elven princess and James slid forward, shielding the pregnant Snow from the darkly clad figure in front of them. Etain felt the human princess' hand come up to rest at the small of her back, offering what little support she could, while cradling her slowly distending belly with the other. The gesture was strangely motherly, filling the smaller woman with warmth.

After several tense seconds, the elf felt her sword drop slightly. Coming face to face with the woman who was striking fear in both man and fairy alike, Etain was at a loss. The Queen was slim, beautiful, and darkly seductive. But for all that, the dark woman seemed no more dangerous than any other smallish human. The princess smiled savagely, confidence in the coming Hunt burning merrily in her chest.

Until Regina suddenly caught fire, burning like a possessed wicker man.

The silver-haired woman's mouth dropped with an audible pop. Every elven instinct she possessed clamored for her to crawl screaming from the room. Clawed hands held high, Regina screamed her spell. Charming's sword and Nothung were torn away, careening towards gods knew where. James' roar of rage in response made the Etain's ears vibrate painfully.

Feeling the sudden loss of magical reserves, the elf reached out with her will to draw upon the power of her people. Only she found the Evil Queen's barrier instead. It had been a trap, a perfectly designed one at that. Etain couldn't help but feel a grudging bit of respect towards the woman. The Hunt had been turned on its head, a trick that few hunters could play.

With a flick of her wrist, the Queen sent flaming bits of stone careening towards them. The elf only had a heartbeat to turn and shield Snow, throwing them clear and into the stonework behind them. They landed in a pile, the fay warrior's right leg taking most of their weight. It gave cleanly. Bone had splintered through shin, but her leg guard was keeping it relatively contained. The pain took Etain's breath away as she tried to stagger to upright, only to end up on her knees before the Evil Queen's advancing form. Within seconds, James had reached them, trying to draw the two women away.

Regina sauntered closer, Etain's eyes unable to look away from her swaying hips. Something akin to raw sexual need skittered up the smaller woman's spine, making her roll her shoulders uncomfortably. Fairy peoples were so easily seduced by magic, no better than moths to a deathly flame. And the fairytale queen radiated more than just magic.

Curiosity danced in the witch's rich brown eyes. The Queen towered over them and while James begged for her to follow, Etain crouched transfixed. Prince Charming and Snow skittered away as Regina reached the bizarrely stationary fay.

"I know you..." The Queen's hands clamped down onto the elf's armored shoulders, lifting the smaller woman up bodily by her chain mail.

Finally, reason and self-preservation reasserted itself within the fay heir. Etain kicked out with both feet, sending the burning woman flying. Regina clawed at the air as she flew away, her face twisted in a growl. The fay's broken leg screamed in response, the motion sending shockwaves up and into her hips.

The elf landed with a thud and scrambled backwards. Flipping onto her stomach, she crawled back towards the door and Nothung. She was within inches of the door and her lost sword when an iron grip latched onto her ruined leg. Vaguely, she heard Snow scream in panic. Etain felt lightheaded with brightly flaring pain, feeling her leg continuing to separate grotesquely. The Queen pulled her back sharply, the elf's armor leaving deep grooves within the stone under her chest.

Flipping onto her back, Etain swung up and towards the witch with all her might. The Queen deflected the blow easily, pinning the elf's arms above her head. Their bodies were less than a hand width's apart and the fairy felt breathless. Regina's fingers brushed over the princess' pale brows slowly. Golden irises dilated swiftly, desire making Etain's breath hitch deeply. True love crackled between them, seductive and almost painful in its intensity.

"Please…stop."

The human leaned closer; her deliciously blood red lips almost brushing silvery skin. "And why would I want to do that my dear? You and your power could finally give me my revenge, and my happy ending." Regina smiled before leaning in.

The kiss was soul stopping. It made the young woman ache in ways she would never be able to articulate. Power surged between them, power Regina lapped up greedily. Dark fingers trailed up the shivering elf's skin, leaving trails of purple that seeped into Etain's very pores. Golden eyes started to cloud with purple haze as the fay joining trickled between them.

"Please…not like this." The princess' tone was pleading, begging.

Regina's magic wove itself deeper into the elf's body as the Queen's teeth tugged at Etain's lower lip. Regina whispered against flushed skin. "Love me…"

Etain shoved the taller woman away in desperation. Denying the regal woman was agony incarnate. Purple smoke crackled angrily as silvered lightening danced between them, the joining half-finished. Regina's face contorted in rage at being denied. The dark queen surged forward, her hands clawing at the delicate skin above the princess' hammering heart. Fingers sinking deeply, Regina hissed with fury. "Your heart belongs to me and no other!"

The elf weakly pried at the blood-covered nails sunk heavily into her chest. Pain, sharp and burning made her body seize. Her vision, filled with the sight of Regina's beautifully hate-filled face, pulsed in time with her thundering heart. Etain felt the edges of consciousness start to fade away, her limbs growing weak and sluggish. The elf felt hot, velvety lips against her neck as Regina nuzzled her pulse point dreamily. With each stuttering heartbeat, the queen drew more of the elf's power and magic out.

Suddenly, the deliciously painful lips and hands left. Strong arms wrapped her up tightly. Dazed and bleeding, she looked up into the worried face of Weyland. Her father's trusted general cradled the brutally wounded princess close as he unfurled his long feathered wings. Etain was only vaguely aware of the careening world around her as Weyland sped them both away. She felt more than saw the Queen's raw surge of triumph.

Regina crowed with heartfelt delight. She had found the one thing more powerful even than the Dark One himself. Raising her blood soaked fingers to her lips, she sucked at them hungrily. The Evil Queen only hoped other parts of the fairy princess were just as sweet.


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

Diary of Princess Etain, Year 1158 of Man, the Winter Solstice

_ I could not raise my hand to her. A part of me would have given my life gladly if it brought about her salvation. But there is only blind hatred where the Queen's heart once resided. Regina seems utterly convinced of Snow White's guilt, which is beyond my understanding. She blames a child for the death of her love…_

_My father's doctors insist my strength will return, but at night the scorched skin above my heart burns. I can still feel her fingers digging deeper, slipping through my ribs to tear at my very heart. Yet I still yearn for her touch. The thought of it sickens me. I fear the organ is cursed in some way, that I should cut it away like inflected flesh. _

Etain's fingers trembled as she wrote. Unconsciously, she caressed the marred skin beneath her chest guard, the leather whispering with her touch. Weakness was in and of itself a disease to the fay people. Her father's sudden illness had thrown the kingdom into disarray. Each and every mythical creature was tied to the reigning monarch; her people's magic was waning along with the King's health. If Etain was forced to take the throne, she feared her curse would further weaken the lands.

While Auberon slowly died, he was at least still strong enough to lead. He could protect the kingdom not by his own hand, but by his wisdom. Etain could only offer her youth and her strength. But she had seen the look in Weyland's eyes and those of the assembled soldiers that surrounded the crumbling tower. They had tasted of her weakness, of her newly diseased heart. Regina had won, and would continue to win as long as Etain was so powerless.

As if summoned by her thoughts, the towering man-bird filled her door. HIs horns were lowered in subjugation, his gravely voice deeper than usual. "My lady, the King…"

5-5-5

She had stood by her father's bedside for hours, listening to her father's feverish ranting. He raved at ghosts only he could see, spitting orders or curses. It was dusk when he finally came back to himself, calling softly into the darkness for his daughter. Etain neared the bed quietly, smiling reassuringly at her father.

"I am here father. I have not left you." She sat down gingerly on the edge of his bed, leaning over him so he could clearly see her face. Her father's eyes looked troubled, sadness pulling at his mouth.

"Whatever comes next, I need you to understand that I did it out of love. I needed you to be safe."

The young woman patting her father's hands soothingly, her voice gentle.

"Whatever has been done can be undone, you have always taught me this. Mistakes can always be remedied."

The dying King took a shaking, labored breath. "Not this time child. I have done something terrible… something that cannot be fixed."

A growing sense of dread prickled along the princess' scalp as her father continued.

"I looked into your future. I made a deal with the banished imp." Florescent silver tears spilled from his eyes, trailing down his craggy cheeks. "Your mother's sacrifice, I needed to know what her life paid for." He swallowed hard. "What that bastard man showed me..."

He trailed off as his eyes took on a far away look. Reaching up, his once massive hands cupped her face, pulling her closer. "I made a mistake my child. I didn't understand what changing your future would cost me, and you. I took away your will, a thing no moral creature should ever do to another." His hands fell weakly, resting against her worn leather armor. Speaking was costing him what little strength he had left, but he could not be denied this final confession.

The princess fought back her growing anger, trying valiantly to keep her voice even. To have her decisions stripped from her was a grave crime within the fay lands. Each and every creature prized freedom of choice above all else. "You know the law father. You cannot keep me from my destiny, the Fates cannot be denied."

Auberon shook his head emphatically, his once mighty gaze flashing with pride, but his voice was barely a whisper. "I can and I have. But I couldn't draw upon our peoples to bring forth such a reckoning, it is beyond even me." His voice faltered further, becoming a faint whisper against the growing night outside.

Etain leaned closer still, her delicate ear pressed to Auberon's chapped lips. "Cora. I gave my life and my magic to her as payment. Mankind's Queen is your true love my child and I have saved you from her." Auberon's fingers dug deep into Etain's shoulders, pain flaring brightly, emphasizing his words.

His eyes had started to dull, their golden sheen fading to copper. "Regina is beyond your saving."

Auberon sighed ever so softly as his eyes glazed. "And now, I have saved us all."

Slowly, she unraveled the dead King's hands from her intricate leathers, holding the aged fingers tightly. Crawling onto the bed, the young woman buried her face against her father's cooling chest. She didn't flinch as his skin began to flake away, creating butterflies of ash. The fay returned bodily to the earth whenever they passed from this realm to the next. And she would watch, ensuring his safe passage to his next kingdom.

Several long hours passed in this way. Etain curled up protectively around what was left of her father as the elf king's body continued to fall away to dust. His death would bring the end of her freedom and the start of her reign. His death almost meant the end of whatever blossoming goodness the elven princess had been so desperate to protect.

Finally, it was done. King Auberon III, Fay King, Slayer of Man and Beast was no more. Glittering petals of ash covered his daughter who still lay curled tightly around her father's empty robes. It was how the servants found her, dragging her exhausted body away.

5-5-5

Weyland's chest rumbled beneath her tear stained cheek. "You will be crowned at first light my lady." He lifted her chin with a blood stained finger, forcing her golden eyes to meet his black ones. "Have strength."

The General had stood watch over the ruling family in the King's final hours, refusing to even bathe after their disastrous battle. His skin and armor were covered with half dried remnants of filth that Etain didn't want to dwell on. She looked up into his heavily scarred face; her eyes red and swollen. "I take my strength from you."

After several long moments, the darkly skinned general and his guards deposited the fay princess into her sleeping chambers. The coronation would be at first light, only a day after her father's passing. It had been over two hundred years since the last one, and almost a thousand since a woman had taken the throne. She was an adult, but still very young by fay standards. Her tutors had never prepared her for this, and neither had her father. Etain had always assumed he would be there…that he would be her constant.

She readied for bed automatically, going through the motions as her mind churned endlessly. Despair had settled upon her muscled shoulders. The small woman bathed slowly, carefully lingering over the cuts and bruises that littered her body. Magic had been used to heal the grotesque wound to her chest and the mess that her battered shin guard revealed. But the scattering of cuts, bruises and scrapes had been ignored.

Stepping out of the massive marble basin, she pulled a light robe onto her still-damp skin. Walking over to the large, open window that dominated her bedchamber, she picked up a porcelain-handled comb. Sitting on the built-in bench, Etain combed her hair in smooth, soothing strokes. Her heart finally started to settle with the routine, but the feeling of doom wouldn't leave completely.

Inhumanly hued eyes stared off into the starless night as she set aside her mother's comb. Leaning up against the stone cut windowsill, she tried to rearrange her muscled limbs comfortably. Soon, the elf started to doze. The shoulder of her robe slipped away, chilling her skin. Half asleep, the fay felt the ghost of a touch on her bare shoulder.

Silver brows wrinkled in confusion. Phantom lips trailed slowly up her pale throat only to be replaced with a hot tongue tracing the line of her jaw. Etain's head tilted back languidly, exposing the hollow of her throat. She groaned softly as that same tongue lapped slowly at her pulse point. Her head rolled slowly in ecstasy; eyes staring off into the distance, settling absently on the armor stand by her bed. It took several seconds for her mind to register what she was seeing.

Nothung smoldered, its runes filling the corner of the room with heatless fire. Recognition dawned, bringing a fear that snapped her awake instantly. Etain flailed against whatever had come for her in the night. Invisible hands tore at her trailing robe, desperate to pull her back towards eager arms.

As the room began to fill with darkening clouds, Etain's magic flared brightly, forming a heavy barrier between herself and encroaching purple mist. She dropped to her knees, cold sweat beading along her hairline as she strained with effort. The swirling clouds continued to darken, slowly coalescing into a solid form.

Silhouetted against the deep purple static that was slowly dissipating, the Evil Queen presented herself. She turned in a lazy circle, eyeing the large rooms critically. "Well, well, well, what an impressive castle you have my dear."

The princess' jaw tightened painfully as she seethed. "All the better to kill you with."

Regina laughed as her fingers skimmed the ancient marble slowly. "Now, now, is that any way to treat your true love? I've come to say my goodbyes; I'm going away for a very long time. Forever if I can."

The elf tracked the graceful woman uneasily, keeping furniture and her barrier between them. "I care not. The farther you are from here, the better. What do you want with me?"

The Evil Queen paused, turning to look the princess fully in the eyes. She pointed slowly at the elf's newly scarred chest, smiling hungrily. "I've come for the rest."

Etain felt something inside her break. She vaulted the low-lying couch in front of them easily, throwing herself at the taller woman. Pale fingers clenched, encircling the Queen's beautifully olive throat. Etain's heart pulsed painfully in response, tendrils of ice flaring from her battered chest. The silver-haired beauty drove them both to the floor, pinning the Queen beneath her.

The young woman's mind reeled. She had lost her father, her only blood family, and now this monster was here to take whatever was left. But Etain couldn't muster the strength to kill the intruder; she couldn't stand the thought of causing the brunette harm. Her fingers relaxed against Regina's throat, bright bruises erupting where her hands had strained against dark skin. Defeat lodged itself in the elf's throat, hard and choking in its intensity.

Silver stained droplets fell onto Regina's upturned face as the fay princess wept. The Queen reached up to cover the princess' elegant fingers, her touch achingly gentle. One hand lifted to brush the stray strands of white hair from the elven face hovering above her own. Etain tried to slap the hands away, refusing to take comfort from the witch below her.

But Regina pulled her still closer. The brunette pulled them up, cradling the smaller woman against her chest. Dipping her head to kiss away mercury colored tears, the witch began untying Etain's clinging robe. It fell away in a silken pile, exposing the princess' battered body to the dim light. Regina's eyes darkened with lust, but also with an indefinable emotion the elf couldn't quite place.

The Evil Queen's hands trailed up the princess' pale back, her fingers dipping into the muscled grooves. Caressing, claiming. Dark lips lowered to kiss the smaller woman's trembling mouth. The Queen's hungry hands gripped her almost painfully closer, Etain's thighs fell to wrap around the brunette's small waist.

Regina fell forward, pinning the smaller woman between her body and the cold stone flooring. Goosebumps erupted along Etain's skin, her hips lifting for warmth and something…more. Her thighs tightened around the Queen's leathered hips, her breath coming in pants. And just as quickly, the brunette was there, taking, tasting, and strangely, loving.

It was bliss and agony all at once. Regina bit sharply at pale skin before kissing the blossoming bruises sweetly. Slim, pale hands rose to caress the stark lines of the brunette's face. The Queen's gaze lifted from creamy skin to smirk up at princess trapped beneath her. Brown eyes glowed eerily, reminding the elf of the wolves she had seen roaming the fairytale forests; predatory and hungry.

She ached for kindness, for a gentleness she knew Regina was incapable of. Leaning up and away from the shivering body beneath her, the dark woman flung her long jacket away from her shoulders. Shoulders and toned arms bare, Regina leaned back down over her transfixed prey. She ran strong hands up frost white skin to cup small breasts possessively. Etain arched into the caress, a need pooling wetly within her.

The Queen lowered her head to capture a painfully erect nipple between perfect teeth, tugging sharply. The sensation of Regina's too warm mouth and the leather of her bodice dragging slowly over her cool skin brought lustful oblivion.

Regina shed the tight leather bodice like a second skin. Her skin glimmered golden and beautiful in the weak moonlight. Finally, skin met skin.

Magic spun heavily between them. Overwhelmed, the pale princess shakily tried to push the taller woman away.

Long, slim fingers circled her sweetly. Regina rested her forehead against Etain's own, their breath mingling, frosting. "Please…"

Slim, inhumanly pale thighs opened wider. With a gentle thrust, the dark queen filled her tightly. Their rhythm lay somewhere between needing and rough, clinging to one another.

Regina smiled as she gazed almost lovingly at the marred skin. "Everyone will know who you belong to now." The Queen traced the ragged scars, her fingers fitting perfectly into the indented flesh. Wisps of light followed the trailing hands, coalescing into the ghost of a flower nestled against Etain's ruined skin. A thread blossomed from the flower's center, curling as it made its way for Regina's own ruined heart.

A silver head canted quizzically. "What is it?" Long, dark fingers trailed over the faint thread. "Us."

5-5-5

Morning light pierced her closed eyelids, drawing her from slumber. Etain sat up slowly, her body wonderfully sore in some ways, not so wonderfully in others. She closed her eyes, sending her senses along the fine thread of magic that anchored her to Regina and found…a weak thread. Pulling her knees up to her naked chest, the Queen hugged herself tightly.

She had found love, of a damaging sort. And never before had she felt so utterly alone.


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

The hall stood eerily quiet as pre-dawn light filtered through its many stain-glassed windows. Etain sat awkwardly on her father's throne; her throne. Only a smattering of days had passed and the young princess had been called upon to lead her People. Her father's armor was still laid out on display in the courtyard of their family home, the far-flung Fay People coming to lay eyes on their fallen father.

Every night she walked the mile and a half from the castle's keep to her father's body. She would sit with him, asking all the questions she neglected to in life. How to rule. How to do more than fight. How to leave behind love. He obviously never answered, solidifying her sadness into devastation. She would sit with him until the sun chased away the stars and then walk the lonely path back to her father's throne.

And now there she sat, the cold marble chilling her thinly clad legs as she pored over her father's scrolls. Ruling, it seemed, was more than just brave words and hard-fought battles. All she had left were his hastily scribbled notes; notes to himself for future use. For every council meeting, for every emissary sent from far-away lands, minutes were taken with the King's beautifully looping handwriting crammed into the margins.

Etain had taken to brushing her fingers along the pen's indentation, whispering out loud as she traced her father's words.

The Blue Fairy slipped inside the massive room quietly. Rumors swirled that the new Queen never knew sleep, that when she was not at her father's side, she was here. The fairy godmother walked slowly towards the murmuring Queen, her steps halting and unsure. Her slipper-clad feet whispered softly against the heavily worn stone.

She was only a few feet from the Queen when the small woman froze, her body tensing dangerously.

"Not many have the audacity to disturb me at this hour. What do you require Blue Fairy?"

"One of your father's trees. The last of them."

The godmother had the Queen's complete attention, gold-rimmed eyes blazing as she looked squarely at the winged creature. Setting back against the high-backed chair, Etain's posture was all rigid regality.

"And why would I part with such a well of power?"

The older woman canted her head curiously. "Is that all it is to you? Power? Your family has always struck me as something more power hungry royals."

Etain smiled, violence simmering just beneath. "No, but my sentimentality is of no concern of yours." The Queen leaned forward, her eyes red-rimmed and darkened with exhaustion. "Now, I asked you a question."

Blue lifted her chin stubbornly. "Your father made me the leader of all the fairy godmothers. His trust in me was complete. Is that not enough?"

Etain blinked, incredulous. "I'm sorry, have you not heard of his death? My father's favoritism is not mine. You will explain yourself, or you will leave empty handed."

The fairy tried to push aside her wounded pride, knowing that Snow and Charming needing this plan to unfold.

"Snow is soon to give birth to the Savior, but Regina's curse will take us all from this place. We must save the unborn child."

The Fay Queen stood, her face twisting at the mention of Regina's name. "Her curse will only destroy the Land of Fairytales, we'll be perfectly safe." She turned slightly to catch the winged fairy in her peripheral vision. "And I need you and the other godmothers here. Snow and her family are but one of many who need your help."

Taking a shocked step forward, Blue's voice rose in surprise. "You can't be serious! We can't leave them to fend for themselves, Regina is far too powerful!"

Golden eyes filled with familiar tears. She blinked them back impatiently. "Let Regina do as she will." The silvery head bowed in exhaustion. She could not bear to stand against the dark Queen again. "We're done fighting for Man."

Blue's eyes filled with indignant shock. "You have to give them something! You have to give them some small measure of hope! Your father would have done more than sit here!"

Almost before she could finish speaking, Etain launched herself at the Fairy Godmother, rage written along the taunt lines of her body. She came within inches of the godmother's terrified face, some invisible hand restraining the elven Queen. Etain wanted to tear the fairy godmother apart, to rend her limb from limb for her insolence. Anger was quickly becoming the elf's only friend.

The Queen turned away with effort, willing her body to stop shaking. "Who will convert the tree for traveling?"

Blue's voice shook as she answered. "Geppetto. He is the best carver within the realms, he is the only one with the necessary talent."

The Queen shook her head almost sadly. "The wood carver will have his price. You will see what the love of a parent will cost."

Blue looked at Etain quizzically, fear still tinting the godmother's expression. Etain shook her head in response. "A parent will gladly put aside their honor for their children."

Reaching down between them, Etain's slim fingers plucked Blue's wand from the its hiding place nestled tightly against her side. She pulled it free slowly, gently.

"You were my father's favorite once upon a time, but his loves are not mine. You will have the last of his trees; our parting gift to Snow and her family."

Blue went to take the wand from her Queen. Etain's voice was soft, her hands covering the fairy's painfully. "Reul Ghorm, you have a duty. There are more to these worlds than the lands of fairytales. Remember that when you go to see the Princess and her husband."

The winged fairy nodded weakly as she pried her hands free. She turned, glimmering, disappearing into the early morning light. Etain sat down weakly onto the throne once more. Exhaustion pulled at her, her body begging for rest. Begging for release. Instead of leaving for her father's bed chamber, as she had taken to sleeping his bed, wrapping herself up in the last traces of his scent, Etain rested her head wearily against the back of the large chair.

Weak, shimmering light sprung from Etain's chest. She didn't bother to run her fingers through the painfully dim wisps, knowing the magical threads would bring nothing but pain. Instead she bowed her head to whisper softly into the deep purple flower. "I'll be here waiting my Queen."

6-6-6

Regina's hands shook as she held the curse tight against her chest. Her heart hammered, stuttering painfully. Instead of destroying the land of fairytales the second she had won against Snow and her pitiful forces, she had followed her ill-fated need to follow Etain home. Had taken the woman, reveling in something that wasn't coerced or forced. In the end, their touches had been gentle, almost loving.

And now her heart tried to latch on to this new, lighter emotion. Tried to push past the blackness that strangled it. Brown eyes filled, threatening to spill over onto flushed cheeks. It hurt. Hurt so much that it filled these last few days with beautiful agony.

Now, when all the pieces were laid out before her, the Evil Queen hesitated. The part of her, the little girl that Cora tried so hard to break, wanted to go back to Etain. Wanted to know if True Love was waiting, or if Daniel had taken the best of her with him to the grave. She had centered her life on the need to kill Snow, to strip her of every comfort and ounce of happiness. To strip away the light and leave nothing but darkness in it's wake.

But she had sacrificed too much to turn back now. Regina would have her happy ending in this new world, this world without magic. This world that would allow her to finally break Snow, to make the Princess suffer for the part she played in Daniel's death. For the many lives Leopold's daughter had destroyed. Hatred warred with whatever burgeoning emotion the Evil Queen was fostering for the fay woman.

She pulled the stable boy's ring from the hidden pouch she had sewn into all her garments. As she had so many times before as she started to lose her way, the brunette brushed the ring against wine colored lips. Magic shimmered, the tips of her fingers warming as the remnants of love caressed her. It was innocent, pure, and altogether different than the touches stolen from Etain.

The Evil Queen had to push the elven woman aside, had to focus on more than love. Revenge was the truer endeavor, the more noble. Daniel deserved better. He deserved the price Snow would pay for her inability to keep a secret. Regina felt the pain dissipate, dissolving as the lightness was eaten away. Her heart was whole once more, strong and filled with darkness.

She would gather her allies and finally get back to the task at hand.

6-6-6

Etain removed the heavy silver crown, placing it gently on the marble stand that stood just inside her bedroom door. She felt more than saw the magic wards snap up around it, protecting it from prying eyes and thieving hands. It had been several weeks since her father's death and Regina's late night visit. The Fay Queen had stayed up each and every night, waiting. Hoping.

But Regina had never returned. In the wee hours of the morning, Etain would call forth the fragile thread that tied her to the Evil Queen, playing her fingers through its delicate essence. If she concentrated hard enough, she could almost feel Regina's mind and thoughts. Dark and filled with vengeful determination, the elf found it strangely comforting.

Today, for once, she wasn't dwelling on a lover that refused to come back. Instead, she was distracted by a growing sense of unease. A feeling that she needed to be elsewhere, to do something important. It tugged at her. If she closed her eyes, Etain would feel the sudden shifting of vertigo as the world tried to twist away. She had to fight the need to be physically ill.

Etain sat down on her large, pillowed covered bed. She fell back, willing the spinning world to bleed away. She took a deep, steadying breath, letting her mind wander. Thoughts churned lazily. After several heart beats, the Queen's eyes snapped open. Panic threaded through her suddenly hammering heart.

The tree. Her father's tree. Blue's plan to save Snow and Charming and, ultimately, the Fairytale Land of Man. Standing on suddenly shaky feet, she walked over to the large bay window that dominated her bedroom. The feeling had grown more intense as the day had progressed, and now she knew why. She looked down to see her fingers shake as they reached for the windowsill.

The wardrobe was finished, and Snow's time was fast approaching. One of the Fay would need to carry the Savior, and Pinocchio's once wooden child to their new home. For once, she and Blue had agreed on the vileness of the cabinetmaker's demands, and it had taken a massive demonstration of restraint not to kill the old man and his son. Blue had begged leniency, and for once, Etain let reason stay her hand.

But now, she felt the wardrobe pull at her. The wooden child would go first, Gepetto would ensure it, and she would send one of her guards to attend to it. But Snow's daughter would be different. She would carry the Fairytale heir herself. Etain felt that she had abandoned the Charmings, allowing them to think she was dead. She closed her eyes slowly, giving in to the feeling of being pulled, yanked, and transported.

And in a single breath, the Fay Queen was gone.

The Savior beckoned.


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7**

Several months passed as the remaining realms dealt with the sudden loss of Fairytales. Skirmishes broke out along the once-heavily defended borders. Villages struggled to find new trade partners, and new methods of communicating with their neighbors. The wholesale destructive force of Regina's spell sent shockwaves through the magical spectrum. Witches and wizards throughout the many realms found their power weakened or crippled.

But the loss of the godmothers was felt the deepest. The fay women served as protectors, teachers, mothers, friends, and kept the balance against Man's baser instincts. Without them, those that could not fend for themselves were left to their neighbor's mercies…and the realms turned on one another.

The Kingdom of Fay had had its own troubles since mourning their much-loved King. His ashes had been scattered along the two main rivers that fed the majority of his lands and, much to the relief of the new Elfish Queen, Coronation celebrations had been muted. Since Regina's departure, Etain's public appearances were few and brief, though she took great care to keep a watchful eye on her people. For all her cunning, she could not keep her growing stomach from Weyland's all-seeing eyes.

Her rule quickly became one of wisdom and unfathomable acts of kindness for the Fay. But the deeds of men were cruelly punished. Where once she had been tied to Charming and his family by love, Regina had twisted that love into a hatred for the very thought of man. Humans were a fickle race and Etain couldn't find it in her ruined heart to be kind. The fay people followed her example, shunning the merchants, miners, and hunters that had once frequented King Auberon's lands.

Months passed in this way. The bond between Etain and her people grew stronger, as did the baby growing within her. She sent for and received her midwives in secret, fiercely protective of her tiny heir. Elven women were weakest when with child, their magic utterly beholden to their unborn children. The fay people would know this; enemies would be desperate to take advantage.

Through it all, Weyland stayed close to his new Queen. Friendship blossomed between them, and the royal court speculated that it was more than friendship that bound them together. Etain took no steps to quell the rumors, knowing it was far better than the truth. Far better for them to think that he was the father of her child, and not the cruel monster that had made all of Fairytale disappear into the night.

Until one day, after spending long months watching her body become something completely alien, her daughter came. King Auberon's former throne room now served as a daily reminder of the emptiness his death had left upon the kingdom. And so, she sat while her advisors argued over the best ways to secure their borders from numerous bands of displaced humans.

Pain laced her abdomen as her waters broke. Etain leaned forward, the sensation overwhelming, but welcome. Her world teetered queasily as she gripped her father's throne for balance. And just as before, Weyland was there to save her. Dark arms scooped her up gently, the huge creature drawing forth his magic to spirit the young mother away from the gawking courtiers.

As had been since the dawn of ages, the queen mother was spirited away to give birth in security and secret. And through it all, her General stood silent and watchful. He held her through the contractions and winced with her as she screamed. But for all that, Etain was most grateful for the fact that he had never asked her the identity of the child's father. Instead, he had simply stood by her, constant and kind. In those long days and weeks following her father's death, and the realization that she was with child, Etain had needed that kindness.

Hours passed. Etain would not be able to recall much afterwards, only pain and the sense of being held captive by her huge, distended belly. Stationary and hurting, she ached for relief. And strangely, she ached for Regina. The human witch had been gentle in the end, and in her own way, had even loved the young princess.

As with all of Regina's gifts, this one too brought pain, blood, and finally joy. She sobbed with happiness at the sight of the squirming bundle. The fairy midwife placed the wiggling child in her mother's arms and bowed deeply before leaving. Etain looked down in wonder at the olive skinned face. Slowly, the new elven child opened her sleepy eyes, revealing their deep chocolate color.

Panic nibbled at the elf's heart. The child was clearly a Halfling. Her coloring could not be denied. Gently brushing aside the dark curls that framed the girl's head, Etain noted the sweetly pointed tips of her ears. Relief flooded her. Halfling or not, she would retain her family's magic. Curiously the Fay Queen reached out softly with her own power and was met by a familiar purple spark.

Meanwhile…

Regina Mills, Mayor of Storybrooke could never explain the sudden need for a child. It was like something unbidden had snuck into the night and planted the desire deep within her. She would wake in the middle of the night, dreams of a hungry, squealing child echoing in her mind's eye. Her arms felt strangely empty, as did her waking hours.

Finally she had given into the daytime fantasies and nighttime musings. She had made a deal with Mr. Gold who could easily fulfill the need to care for something small and dear. His price had been a heavy one, but nothing good ever came for free. The Mayor made sure to ask no questions, not wanting, or needing to know where the strangely endearing child had come from.

And Henry had been beautiful. His tiny fists would routinely wind themselves in whatever shirt Regina was wearing, as if to anchor himself to her. After so many years of solitude, the brunette found herself loving the small boy with everything she had left. Holding him tightly to her stuttering heart, she would ache knowing that someone had looked upon him, and let him go.

She watched him grow. Watched his chubby baby fingers turn into the boyish hands that still held her own long fingers. Watched as his mannerisms mirrored her own, but with a twist that was uniquely Henry, or so she thought. She would find out later that somehow, Emma Swan was reflected in his gentle eyes. Regina would never be sure what made her love the blonde more, this reflection of Henry, or Emma's seemingly infinite acts of kindness.

As her love for the boy grew, so did her need to protect him. And as with magic, love too comes with a price. Regina's own magically destroyed heart was desperate for the small child to love her, to mend whatever cruelty had warped it so. Until his tenth birthday, he did. The love started to fade and turn into something untrusting. And that once warm, soft child brought back with him the source of the Queen's destruction.

Opening the door to Henry's birth mother was nothing short of heart wrenching. She saw instantly the blood and bond they shared. Love flowed naturally between them, even if Emma could not yet feel it. In that instant, Regina felt her carefully built up world start to fall away.

Year 1165 of Man, Kingdom of Fay, Outskirts of the Fairytale Forest

Weyland's hands dwarfed the little girl's whitened knuckles. He drew the bow back, taking her tiny hands with him. His horned head dipped to whisper gently against her raven colored hair. Her dark brows were scrunched low over her eyes, concentration written all over her body. With a soft sight, Odelina released the string, the arrow finding its mark.

The tiny armored girl gave a roar of triumph as the ceramic disk exploded. Weyland gathered up the tiny princess, hugging her tightly to his own armored chest. Lifting her small hands, she cupped the general's ragged face, kissing the tip of his nose as she giggled happily. The giant reluctantly put the child down, adjusting her suddenly lopsided leathers with gentle hands.

Clapping, Etain jumped down from her treetop perch. Pride swelled sweetly within the fairy Queen as she gazed down into the beaming face of her daughter. She pulled the dark man close to hug him fiercely. Desire flared brightly between them, but was quickly blunted by the sharp, sudden pain that stabbed at her half-decimated heart. Etain pulled away as if burned, trembling.

Kissing the Queen's hair softly, Weyland whispered reassurances. They had spent years in this strange dance of desire and pain. They had even taken to sleeping together at night, limbs tangling sadly. But the elven beauty could not let the Evil Queen go. At night, she ached with a need that only the dark woman had ever fulfilled. Daylight brought Odelina, and as the girl grew older, she looked more and more like her human mother.

But the General was nothing if not patient. And Odelina loved him; he was the only father she had ever known. The Queen's heart would eventually mend, and she hoped her love for the vanished monarch would dull and die. She needed it to fade; she needed desperately to be free. Etain wanted nothing more than to close the door on her true love, and simply enjoy the small, strange family she had made in the absence of Fairytales.

As they walked through the forest, fading light trickling through the fall-tinted leaves, Weyland caught the scent of burning wood. He froze, pulling Odelina tight in against this side, his left wing coming down to cover her protectively in one smooth motion. Etain simply nodded at him as she sprinted back up and into the low hanging branches above. She sprinted, jumping, skimming from tree to tree as Weyland hung back.

She froze as she reached the artificial clearing. Smoke spiraled up into the heavens, blanking out the sun completely. A small human village had once stood there, industrious and quaint. The elf Queen dropped to the ground silently, skirting the scorched ground carefully. Small piles of ash gathered where once huts and cabins stood proudly. Half-twisted bodies peeked out beneath the crumbling wood.

But something caught her eye as she scanned the eerily quiet carnage. Tufts of gold caught the soot-streaked sunlight, beckoning her closer. The elf inched closer, something cold and sick starting to form in the pit of her stomach. As she neared the fluttering strips of straw, realization started to dawn.

It was a head. Small, charred, and obviously a child's, it sat a few feet in front of two huddled bodies. Short, matted hair fluttered in the wind as Etain crouched down. It clung to the head like duck down, soft and sweet. She closed her eyes tightly, pushing down the sudden need to retch.

Instead, Etain felt her stomach sink, despair pulling at her crippled heart. One of the Blue Fairy's families had lived here, and the village had grown up around the flourishing group. The godmother had cared for three generations of them, and by default, the entire town. In her absence, ruin had taken root. Their neighbor's jealousy and greed had been allowed to blossom, becoming a common need in Man to consume and take.

Turning, the Fay Queen left to rejoin her family. Peace would come one way or another. Mankind would come to its senses, or burn itself out as they lay waste to one another. She, and her people, would simply wait. And prepare themselves as desperation and fear drove Man to madness. Etain dreaded the coming onslaught, but without her godmothers, she was at a loss as to how to save the many realms.

So for now, they would hide, secure and safe.


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8**

Storybrooke

Regina Mills knew all too well what loving Henry's mother would cost her. Even as the former monarch had gazed down into Emma's flushed face, the blonde tightening around her thrusting fingers, the Mayor had known the costs of her actions. Each passing day together made Regina care less for the destruction of her fantasy world, and yearn for the start of a new one with her rag-tag family.

Their fights had always been tinged with barely controlled lust, and Regina had initially dismissed her feelings as nothing more than the need for physical release. But with every argument and every battle of wills, the once Evil Queen found her equal. Something that even Daniel could never have been, as much as she was loathe to admit it.

Hatred had drifted into something altogether different, and in a single, strange instant they were no longer fighting, but pressed together in desperation. Regina was stubborn, refusing to call it love until Emma had been taken from her. Gold's vengeance had been much more effective than simply taking her life. Regina has seesawed between self-loathing and such a visceral desperation for Emma that she had done everything in her power to save the Sheriff.

Now, James' family had a new problem. The townspeople feared that Emma and her mother had brought more than just themselves from the land of fairytales. Storybrooke kept holding its breath, charged with panic of the unknown. And with that fear came the destructive, manic behavior only a mass of semi-imprisoned people could achieve.

888

Emma Swan stepped out into the frosty night air. Frost clung to the steps, forcing to her boots to slide as she sprinted from the house. Her breath whitened the air as she panted towards her car. Exhaustion pulled at her, the always present worry draining her of the will to do anything but lie in bed with the once Evil Queen. It wouldn't be hiding per se; she would be keeping an eye on a woman who had a wonderful tendency of setting things and people on fire.

But it was a Friday night, and drunken, possibly very high, dwarves were trying valiantly to pull apart Granny's. The call had come just as Henry had been bullied, gently, into bed and she and Regina were finally able to slide happily into bed. The Mayor had merely closed her eyes, trying to hide the disappointment from deep brown eyes, offering a somewhat frosty smile. Swan had stolen a kiss, lingering, until she had slid out of bed and into the chilling bedroom air. Emma dressed quickly, in darkness, before creeping down the stairs and out the front door.

The bug had started with a deep rumble, the engine clicking as it warmed. She pulled away, shoulders twitching against the cold, autumn air. It took her under ten minutes to get to Granny's and even less time to pull Grumpy out by a lumpy ear and into the back seat of the Volkswagen. He stank of bourbon and apple pie, the combination filling the car with a sickly sweet aroma. Emma had opted for simply taking him home to the mines instead of to the local jail cell, wrestling him into the Sheriff's station would prove far too difficult this early in the morning. And the longer she dealt with him, the more likely he was going to puke on her, and the interior of the car, or the interior of the station…

So, she had decided to bundle him up in his thick denim jacket and hand him back to his dwarf brothers. The drive was longer than she had hoped, the night bringing thick fog rolling in from the coast. It had taken her and three of the miners to pull Grumpy from the back seat, his dead weight proving impossible to handle without slapping his head against the beetle's running board. Grumpy would have more than just a hangover to contend with come the morning.

Now she was heading back towards Storybrooke, fighting fatigue and the thick mist. Blinking slowly, she felt her body loosen in exhaustion. She pictured Regina's warm, silk-clad body curled up tightly in their bed. Emma could almost feel herself sliding into warm sheets, spooning the Mayor's perfect body tightly, and stealing body heat. The blonde felt herself starting to drift, a part of her knowing that sleep would be blissful and dangerous.

Her eyelids drooped, and she blinked them open, just in time to see something massive and frightening walk calmly out into the street. Deformed and twisted, it was dragging a deer carcass from the tree line and into the small, single-lane road. The deer's head was regally capped with antlers, which were being used as handles by the misshapen hands that gripped it with far too many fingers.

Adrenaline spiked, waking Emma with a jolt as her mind tried to bring the image into focus and understanding. It turned, eyes drizzling down its cheeks to meet snarling lips. Its free arm hung low, fingertips scraping the asphalt as it continued to turn. She was also pretty sure it had three legs, one of which stood completely still as the rest of its hulk pivoted to face the oncoming car. And it was truly massive. It filled the small street like a fleshy tractor-trailer on steroids.

Emma saw her face contort into a startled grimace in the misted rearview mirror. She felt her body tense as both feet stomped onto the brake, the yellow bug careening. The Sheriff fought to unclench, knowing her tightened muscles would tear apart the tendons and strangely fragile bones holding them together. Panic made time slow queasily.

She hit it at roughly fifty miles an hour, its torso disintegrating in a shower of pinkish mess. The steering wheel shook as the windshield shattered inward, soaking Emma with frothing liquid and shards of glass. She tried to blink her eyes free of the viscous horror while fighting to keep the car on the pavement. The yellow heap came to a stuttering stop just as it left the blacktop.

Gagging, the blonde wiped at her now-foul smelling face with the sleeves of her leather jacket. Taking a deep, thankful breath, the Sheriff stared out into the surrounding forest that the car's flickering headlights illuminated weakly. The night was empty and eerily quiet. Something that looked an awful lot like a hand clung to the beetle's right headlight.

She opened the door with shaking hands, fingers slippery from the gore that now littered her car. Emma circled the car slowly, eyes shifting wearily. The hand cast strange shadows along the crumpled hood of the yellow bug. As she got closer, she realized the hand was actually closed into a tight first that circled the protruding, rounded headlight. Fingers tight and white-knuckled, it had obviously been torn away at the wrist, leaving trailing tendons to dangle onto the front bumper.

The Sheriff felt her stomach gurgle in that semi-state of sickness that accompanied disgust mingled with fear. She was growing ever-increasingly intimate with the sensation. Emma took a slow, steadying breath and drew her gun. Since fighting trolls, she had upped her firepower with an armor piercing nine millimeter Beretta. She had to special order the rounds from Belgium, but had convinced Regina that the extra expenditure was somewhat crucial given Storybrooke's less than usual inhabitants.

Crouching into the moss covered grass; Emma peeked cautiously under the heavily dented front fender. Semi-translucent slime dribbled down into the grass, along with long strips of thick material. Brows knitting in confusion, the blonde crammed her face farther under the car's underbelly. With a un-lady like grunt, she twisted to fish-out a particularly large specimen of fabric from the right wheel well. It was wet and clinging to the brake housing, forcing the Sheriff to yank hard against the leading edge.

It came way with a slick tear. Ass firmly in the air, Emma shimmied out from under the yellow bug. Standing once more, her gaze fell once more on her new, disgusting hood ornament. With a sigh, she opened the passenger side door to fish around in the glove box for a few short seconds. Snapping on a pair of latex gloves and brandishing a Ziploc bag, she closed the door with her jean-clad hip.

Swallowing thickly, she covered the hand with her own. The six-digit slab of meat dwarfed her pale fingers; planting her feet, she peeled away its clenched fist. The joints popped as she pulled. Sliding her thumb between palm and headlight, Emma finished prying the hand loose. Holding it by a pinky, she deposited it into the waiting Ziploc, along with the slime-soaked bit of felt.

Snapping off her gloves, Emma flicked open her phone, the suddenly bright light making her squint. No reception, which wasn't all that surprising. Living out in the middle of nowhere, while romantic and full of whimsy, made things like cell phone coverage and high-speed broadband something of luxury. Luxuries that made her ache for Boston with growing intensity. That and the daily dose of weirdness that liked to stand in the middle of the road late at night.

The car wouldn't get her very far, and the prospect of sitting in stagnating slime wasn't terribly appealing either. Emma took a deep, steadying breath. She supposed it would give her time to think, to figure out what the hell she had actually hit as it looked like nothing she had seen in the Fairytale Lands. Moving to dig around briefly in the Bug's trunk, she filled and slung an old backpack over one shoulder.

It was a long walk. The gunk had started to dry, caking and creasing her skin and clothes. It made everything chafe uncomfortably. Emma tried to blank the fact that with every step, her laced boots gave a distinct squish, accompanied by a smell that was hard to describe. She would probably have to burn them the second she got out of the now-ruined leather.

By the time she finally entered the outskirts of Storybrooke, the Sheriff was wincing with every step. Emma was fantasizing about a hot bath and cool sheets as she slowly trudged up Regina's steps. Dawn was inching up over the rooftops, but the blonde had sinking feeling she wouldn't be finding sleep any time soon.

888

Regina reached out towards the half-clenched fist, her nose wrinkling. A deep purple spark crackled as her forefinger touched the slime covered stump of a wrist. The hand burst apart, spraying Emma, Regina and James who had sat inches away. Emma gave a grunt of surprise as James merely tried to shake away the remnants of their gelatin shower. Plucking at the nearby box of tissues, Regina was eerily calm.

"This happens more often than I'd like actually." She dabbed a particularly large dollop of goo from a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "Magic and organic material aren't the best of partners." Standing, the Mayor gave Emma a slight, tight smile. "I'll be back. I suggest everyone try and wash up as best they can. The smell will sour fairly quickly."

The blonde trailed after Regina's retreating form, promising to come back bearing towels for her sticky father. They disappeared up the stairs, voices quiet in the dim, early morning light. James fought to turn away, still uncomfortable with the fragile truce between his family and Regina.

Snow closed her eyes, feeling a migraine settle just behind her forehead. Emma's story had been fantastic, but not so strange as to defy belief. The Princess had naively assumed that they had left supernatural danger behind in her old lands. But once again, death and peril came calling, and in this case, in the form of some misshapen creature out to kill her only child.

Not for the first time, she wished desperately for her dead elven friend. Etain had always been the most defiant of the bunch. Unbidden, the brunette whispered her wish out loud.

"I wish Etain were here. She was always so good when things got…weird. "

James' calloused hands covered hers' as he gathered her close. "What's to stop us from calling her?"

Brown eyes looked up at him blankly. Charming's smile was sad, hope barely gracing his eyes. "We can only try. I think if anything, the last few years have taught us that not everything is lost, even when we think it is. We never saw her die, we merely assumed she did."


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER 9**

The following week had brought strange calls to the Sheriff's office and more sightings of misshapen things creeping inside the dark corners of town. James and Emma were now almost constantly in and about town, easing the fears of Storybrooke's citizens, and quietly gathering more evidence of felt-filled monsters. Each passing day brought a new, uncharted level of exhaustion and frustration.

Hands on hips, Emma stared out into slowly filling street. The Charming family had stayed up very late every night, arguing, pleading, and planning with each other. Patience and calm were quickly coming to an end.

"There's no one you can call on back in whatever weird magical land you come from? What about like, ass kicking ogres or something?"

Snow smiled hesitantly. "Of course there is. We can call upon the other lands and realms." She turned to look at her husband uncertainly. "We can…can't we?" James nodded, his smile fierce. The princess' smile mirrored his with savage intent, her voice stronger. "We can even call upon our old allies in the outlying lands, or even the Fay themselves."

James' eyes clouded with doubt. "They failed us once before, what makes you think they won't fail us again?"

"They fought and died for us James. We failed them just as equally."

Snow took a deep, steadying breath. It had been almost thirty years since she had called forth such a creature, and she wasn't quite sure what would answer her pleas. The Fay royals could be very fickle; sending their subjects out to answer whomever was calling. These messengers were not guaranteed to be sweet in disposition. "Etain, child of Auberon, old friend and family, hear me. I call thee forth to the land of man…"

Emma's curious eyes caught her father shiver unconsciously. The lights above them flickered and faded. Darkness crept into the open windows, bleeding into the floorboards. The Savior backed up as the inky blackness pooled and grew. Royal eyes tracked the dying light nervously.

The shadows grew longer, creeping up along the walls like long deformed fingers. Emma felt her stomach drop sickly. Nothing about this seemed like a good idea, and if her innate ability to smell trouble had taught her anything, it was get gone once supernatural forces came calling.

Charming's voice was hesitant, quiet. "Princess Etain? Heir to the Kingdom of Fay?"

A hissing whisper filled the sudden blackness. "No longer. My father passed into the beyond many seasons ago fair prince. I am now Queen of the Fay and all her mythical creatures. I am power incarnate, and wielder of Nothung, the bringer of death." A lean figure finally stepped out of the darkness, its inky interior birthing her into the human's false light. "And I come to reaffirm the alliance between the kingdoms of Fairytales and Fay."

Emma was struck by the young elfish woman's appearance. Etain's hair was bright silver and shoulder-length, framing sharply defined cheeks and jaw. Her equally silver brows scowled over golden eyes that seemed to emit magical warmth. The elf was only a few years younger than Snow, and should be in her sixties at least, but the fay queen seemed to have just scratched her twenties.

An intricate crown of silver rested on her pale brow, further white-washing her delicate skin. Snow's daughter couldn't help but note that she had seen albinos with slightly more pigment. Darkly oiled leather beneath tight fitting chain mail served as a further contrast.

A sword hung low against her left hip, the blade cradled by finely woven strips of leather. If the humans listened hard enough, they could hear the thing hum with energy, its magic strumming through the floorboards. Every metallic surface seemed to glow with an odd inner light, glinting in the dim light.

Standing eerily still, the elven Queen took in the room cautiously, her eyes tracking her prey like some feral wolf. Seeing the brunette princess, the elf visibily relaxed, the room releasing a nervous breath. Snow's brow creased with worry. "Etain, what's happened to you? You seem so… different than last I remember."

The Fay Queen deflected the question easily. "Motherhood has robbed me of my wilder tendencies I'm afraid. Leading my people hasn't been much easier, but then again, the terrible twos in an elven child is something to behold."

Blinking rapidly, the former schoolteacher's face crinkled in confusion. "Motherhood? But how did that happen?"

Etain stared at her old friend, her face deadpan. "Well Snow, sometimes when two people love each other very much..."

Snow's daughter snorted indelicately as the brunette blushed furiously. Golden eyes shifted to the one adult in the room the elf did not immediately recognize. A dawning smirk pulled at pale lips. "What do we have here?"

Emma's eyes widened ever so slightly as she felt an alien, raw need tug at her baser nature. The Queen's eyes promised animalist delights, while her lean body made it apparent she was very able to fulfill such wants. Snow swallowed, feeling a familiar, age-old pull herself.

The slight woman slid close, filling the taller woman's space with warm, scented skin. Etain opened her hands expectantly. "Swan Princess if I may?"

Emma rested her left hand hesitantly in the pale woman's cupped hands. Gently, the silvered woman lifted the Savior's sleeve, baring a pale wrist. Leaning forward slowly, Etain kissed the pulse point. As soon as her lips made contact with skin, a series of runes skimmed Emma's smooth skin. Snow's breath hitched in surprise. The blonde woman bit sharply at her lower lip, fighting the urge to whimper in desire.

Etain smiled against the delicate wrist, her voice soft. "It's been so long little one... I almost didn't recognize you. You have always been marked by royal protection. Who do you think carried you into this realm? Your parents employed fairy magic. Who better to transport you safely away from danger?"

The blonde's brow crinkled in confusion. "You're the one that left me on the side of a highway?" The fairy dropped the human's hands instantly, worry darkening her eyes. "Gods no! I knew that the wooden child was meant to be there with you, no matter what the Blue Fairy told your parents. I watched over you both as you made your way to safety. I watched over you still even after that horrible, selfish child left you behind."

The Queen reached up to cup Emma's suddenly flushed and upset face. "You have never been without love little swan." Caressing a rosy cheek absently, the magical creature's smile turned teasing. "Besides, who do you think named you Swan? Beautiful and pale like the bird, I saw more than a little of your mother in you."

Snow's daughter blushed brightly at the elf's attention. James rose, grasping the elf's elbow to distract her from the blushing blonde.

"We called you because we have need of your particular talents."

A silvery head canted, critically assessing the Princes' face. "My talents mostly involve maiming, Charming. What need would you have for that?"

Emma's eyes bugged comically. "What does she mean maiming? I'm still the sheriff David, I mean….Dad….and…"

Etain looked still more confused, her expression turning crestfallen. "So, no maiming then? But I like taking apart humans. They make such handy small carrying sized pieces."

The Prince coughed nervously, nudging his wife gently to intervene. Smoothing down the nonexistent wrinkles in her strangely preppy sweater, Snow smiled reassuring at the small warrior. "That's not why we called upon you Little Dragon. We're no longer safe here in Storybrooke. The Evil Queen's spell has been broken and now that everyone is aware of who they really are, most of the town is in barely contained chaos. People are unable to reconcile their new families versus their old ones. Enemies no longer have access to magic and are fighting each other on the street. We need help and we need to protect my daughter and grandson."

Pulling Snow close, the lean elf hugged her tightly. "Anything you need, I am here." Clearing her throat self-consciously, she continued. "I have missed you." Shifting uncomfortably, she leaned away from the pale Princess. "And now, we go to rid the town of chaos!" She had to stop herself from swinging Nothung from its scabbard with pirate's flourish.

Charming's voice mingled with suppressed laughter. "You can't go sauntering around Storybrooke looking like that. People will think Halloween's come early."

Etain's shoulders twitched uncomfortably. "Very well. I can…adjust if need be." She hated wearing a human form and always found it difficult to mask her otherworldliness. Gold eyes lifted to the ceiling in exasperation and concentration. She tried to remember what the current fashion was, following this realm was incredibly taxing at the best of times.

She made her eyes a dark brown; the color masked their natural golden hue well. Skin tone was harder. Most of the Fay were light of skin with a silvery or golden sheen that made them fairly easy to peg. Etain had opted instead to mimic Charming's healthier tanned pigment. Finally, the Queen ran long fingers through her own hair, the strands darkening as she passed over them. With a final shake of her head, her shoulder-length hair darkened into a red tinted brown.

However, her clothes weren't quite so well put together. A long, tweed jacket hugged her slender frame. Nothung sat tucked up under her left arm, the long coat masking its presence. Thin khaki trousers hugged her legs and hips before tucking warmly into brown harness boots. A rather festive, Nordic sweater peeked out from beneath the plaid-patterned overcoat.

Snow nodded in appreciation. "Not bad. You're very…foresty. Have you done this before?" The Queen nodded before answering. "More times than is probably wise. Imagine my irritation when I brought home what you people call a PlayStation, only to find it did not work with my enchanted mirror. I had to come back to buy the magical boxy thing you refer to as a television." Etain shrugged sheepishly at the confused expressions surrounding her. "I have a weakness for Elder Scrolls."


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER 10**

There were perhaps eight feet from Snow's front door before a rather exuberant Henry Mills accosted them on the street.

"Mom!" The human child came catapulting through the street towards the blonde woman beside her. His smile was vibrant and understandably familiar. As he drew closer, Etain's mouth thinned into a hard, worried line. Henry was a Halfling. He reeked of elfish blood and the faint traces of otherworldly magic. His human mother had ensured his limit in magic and human looks, but the elf felt the pull of one of her subjects. She could easily dip into what little power he possessed, and his mind, to take and command him.

The Queen filed that little tidbit away for later.

The dark haired boy threw himself around Emma's midsection, crushing her happily. After several seconds, he peeked out from behind the blonde shyly. Emma brushed away the long locks that dangled in front of his eyes, smiling softly as his nose wrinkled as the hair tickled his eyelashes. Motherly love and magic spun between them, invisible to human eyes. A strange sense of homesickness tugged at the elf's heart.

Emma turned to cast a mischievous look at the disguised elf. "Henry, I'd like you to meet an old friend of your grandmother's. This is the Fairy Queen, and she's here to help us." Etain felt a little self-conscious as his green eyes took her in quizzically.

"Hi." Curiosity tugged at his expression. "Can you really help us?"

The small woman pulled her coat in tighter against her shoulders under the close scrutiny. Instead of answering, she glowered at the woman next to her.

"Is there a reason I dressed up like some hipster reject if you're going to mouth off to everyone who I happen to be?"

The blonde smiled impishly. "I wouldn't call you a hipster, more like unable to find a single genre of fashion." Etain looked down at her outfit, brow wrinkling in confusion. "But this is deemed fashionable in the lands referred to as Europe."

"My point exactly."

Scowling, the fairy made a beeline for Granny's diner. At least this realm offered something vaguely redeeming, coffee and Danish pastries. Breezing through the old metal doors, the elf's nose wrinkled with the sudden stench of werewolf. Even in their human forms, the generally unkempt creatures reeked of matted dog hair. As she got closer to the fifties style counter, the smell grew stronger.

Ruby sidled along the counter's curves, her hips dragging along its bright edges. The slim brunette expected to see the stirrings of desire in the stranger, but was instead met with vague disgust.

"Since when did wolves become so domesticated?" Etain had meant it as an honestly curious question, but the emphasis had come across as snarky.

The classic pinup's face tightened in anger before slowly easing into a sexy smile. "I don't know, around the same time that elfish royalty started looking like some Doctor Who reject." Leaning over the counter, the smaller woman grinned up toothily. "I like you mutt. You've got balls." Eyes gleaming softly, Ruby inched closer still, snapping her overly sharp teeth at the air. "I've got a whole lot more you might like." Etain felt her toes curl with mischievous delight. "Would any of those things involve coffee and…cream?"

Emma entered the diner seconds later, curiously eyeing the two flirting women. Her mother's friend had mostly climbed onto the chrome-accented counter, legs dangling as her booted feet swung happily. The Sheriff couldn't help but smirk. Red would always be able to ensnare even the most unwilling of prey.

As she stood watching, Emma felt more than saw Regina Mills enter Storybrooke's breakfast destination. Her scent filled the air with spiced cinnamon and freshly starched clothes. The blonde breathed in deeply, her lungs filling with the warm, intoxicating aroma.

"It looks like the town flirt has found a new friend." Mayor Mills' husky tones filled the doorway before bleeding out into the surrounding space. The elf's feet stopped swinging as she froze mid-sentence.

Etain turned slowly to catch sight of the darkly colored queen. Half forgotten memories exploded in her mind's eye of flushed skin and empty promises. The elf turned away quickly, feeling the skin above her heart prickle painfully. She felt magic pull her fake human form tighter around her, using it to armor her from the mayor's gaze. Taking the steaming cup Red was offering, Etain turned to meet Regina and her Savior. The sight that welcomed the small queen made her stomach drop.

Regina's dark eyes were locked on the blonde in complete, rapt attention. A ghost of smile tugged at her darkly stained lips. The elf watched in sickened fascination as Emma sidled closer, running the tips of her fingers slowly down the length of Regina's trench coat. Something that tasted vaguely like blood and bile filled Etain's throat.

Of course the Evil Queen would reach for the one truly innocent thing in this entire town. Regina had latched onto Snow's daughter, and she couldn't help but wonder if this wasn't some new form of torture the Evil Queen had devised for her once mortal enemy. What better way to piss off a parent then to bed their only child?

The brunette slid closer to Emma's warmth and touch. All thoughts of deceit vanished. Their touches were sincere and gentle. And it made Etain's heart ache to see it. And ultimately, it made her feel small. She should have known that no matter what Regina had meant to her, the Evil Queen would move on to something better. Truer. Still watching, she sees that the stark chiseled lines of Regina's face have softened, and something of the young girl she must have been can be seen peeking through.

For a brief moment, she is happy for them both.

Emma finally turned to smile brilliantly at the small woman moving towards them. Etain smiled back stiffly, unnaturally trying to convey a gentle reassurance. The Sheriff gestured with her chin towards the far back of the diner, shooing her family forward. Etain kept several feet between herself and Regina. Any contact would alert the Mayor of the magical guise.

They crowded into a booth, limbs crushing. James' and Emma sat on the ends, their long legs sticking out onto the checkered floor. Etain tried not to notice as Henry folded himself between Emma and Regina, their bodies curving together to cradle him absently, protectively. The Mayor's lips dipped swiftly to plant a soft kiss on his dark hair, as if afraid someone might spot the random act of affection.

Etain couldn't help but picture that same moment, but with her daughter who mirrored Regina so closely. Her heart ached for that alternate world, a world where their dysfunctional family could have been.

Snow cleared her throat, shifting uncomfortably as she watched adopted mother and child. A part of her hated the easy familiarity, "Perhaps this isn't the best conversation to have in front of a certain audience…"

Henry looked mildly offended, his genetic need for adventure making him obstinate. Regina had hoped she could quell that side of him, but alas.

"What if Henry and I do some sword practice? A knight can never be too prepared." James' smile was smitten and Emma wondered how close they had become while her and Snow had been trapped.

Henry crawled over the sheriff who chuckled good-naturedly at the misplaced elbows and feet. His darkly colored mother, on the other hand, sternly reminded him of his need for manners. Sneakers squeaking, he dodged James' playful antics as they tumbled noisily out of Granny's diner.

Rolling her eyes heavenward, Snow beckoned Granny's granddaughter over. She had a feeling that filling the Mayor's hands with a good, hard drink would keep her from strangling any patrons. Regina had never had the patience for talking or debate. Actions were oddly black or white to her stepmother.

Brows wrinkling, Regina turned to look over her shoulder at Ruby's approaching figure. Something wasn't quite right and tugged at the witch's innate sense of dark power. As the lanky brunette moved closer, an almost invisible gray mist clung to her shoulders, growing darker before the Mayor's astonished eyes. Reaching under the table, Regina's fingers tightened around the blonde's knee.

"We have a problem."

Emma's eyes sharpened, her hand dropping instinctively to the holstered nine millimeter at her belt. The motion made Snow's eyes snap to the approaching brunette, worry creasing her forehead. Regina felt the world narrow and focus sharply, adrenaline spiking pleasantly.

Ruby came to stop at the leading edge of the table. Tensed, the group looked up slowly and into the yellowed canine eyes of their waitress. In a blur of movement, the vixen's hand clamped down on Etain's right arm. Surprise made the lot jump several inches out of chair as the elf yelped in pain and surprise.

"What the actual fuck?"

Ruby's hand tightened painfully. Etain blinked rapidly as her eyes watered at the sudden sensation of her wrist breaking. With a shout, Emma jumped forward and over the table to claw at Ruby's steely grip. The tall beauty leaned closer, unnoticing, her apple red lips parting as she whispered against a pale cheek.

"You don't belong here little one. This is your only warning. Leave now and your life will be spared."

Etain's chin jutted out stubbornly as several tears slipped away unnoticed. The fairy twisted sharply to grab a handful of the werewolf's beautifully long hair. She slammed the woman's face brutally into the table with a jerk of her shoulder; the resulting crunch was wonderfully satisfying. The waitress went limp with a whimper, finally releasing the elf's ruined forearm.

The diner exploded in sound and motion, the patrons rushing forward towards the fallen waitress and the still-stunned Charmings. Pain was making the fay cold and clammy, her unharmed hand slipping against the mirrored surface as Etain tried to stand. Snow White was cradling Ruby as Granny pressed damp towels to her bloodied face.

Emma sidled closer, subtly helping the now panting elf stand from the sweat and blood streaked table. The smaller woman leaned heavily against the blonde, who slipped strong arms around Etain's thin, muscled waist. A rogue part of her noted that the elf smelled wonderful; of autumn leaves and warm grass.

Regina's eyes were dark, concerned, and breathtaking. Etain stared for several long seconds, far longer than was polite. The Evil Queen drew closer, magic bubbling forth, obviously eager to heal the now misshapen arm. The elf flinched away, turning away from the Mayor's now curious look. She pulled away from the now offended looking Sheriff to curl in on her injured arm.

"I can fix this up myself, thanks."


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER 11**

Reaching Snow's quaint, and overly lived in, apartment, Etain shed her human skin uncomfortably. It hung off her for several seconds before dissolving into the unvarnished wooden floor beneath them. Snow had to swallow thickly to keep herself from gagging at the hideous sight. James merely turned away, nose wrinkling in disgust.

Regina had finally agreed to Emma's plan of fortifying their son in the Mayor's mansion. Knowing the once evil queen, she would take the task seriously and do far more than build magical barriers. Etain vaguely wondered if the front yard would be sporting a moat by morning. Overprotectiveness was something she understood far too well.

And the two mothers had left, fingers tangled, heads bowed together in conversation. Henry, blissfully unaware, had happily bounced in front of them, leading them energetically home. Etain had stared after them until the falling dusk had obscured them from her hungry gaze.

Now she stood in the middle of Snow's large living area, surrounded by human trapping she didn't quite understand, rubbing absently at her newly healed arm. She vaguely recognized the metallic appliance that brought forth fire and winced. It had taken her months finally grow back both eyebrows and the rest of her eyelashes. Etain hissed at it menacingly and fought the urge to back away from it, forfeiting her dignity entirely.

Turning, the ghostly colored woman quietly watched the human pair. And as she did, she felt an alien sensation tickle the back of her mind. Canting her head quizzically, she opened up her senses. Something akin to bliss brushed against her heart, and it fluttered at the pleasant company. Joy followed closely behind, tinged with the sense of home. A happy sigh escaped unbidden.

True love flowed from the pair in waves.

The apartment was bathed in it. She hadn't noticed it before; the fay portal had temporarily obliterated the white magic produced by the family's love. This simple dwelling could be the most effective defense against any magical threat presented to them, if its properties were channeled in the right way. Etain parked the thought for the moment. She would need to consult with Regina to ensure she properly understood how this realm warped magic. And she didn't have the strength or inclination to self-harm in that way just yet.

Instead, her eyes settled on the fantastically comfy looking couch that hugged the bare brick walls. Tense muscles begged for rest. She hummed in anticipation and settled with a contented grunt on Snow's plush couch. Wiggling deeper into velvety cushions, Etain called out impatiently to the still whispering pair. They had ignored her long enough.

"Come, I have questions. And the need to fall asleep on this sofa thing, so let's see which of these wins shall we?"

The Charmings sat down together as one, wrapping around each other in one smooth motion. It suddenly made her sad to think of the many years apart they had endured. Not for the first time, Etain cursed Regina's old self and the almost infinite amount of misery she had brought forth.

"How is the town reacting to Regina now that you and Emma have returned?", Etain started.

"Its hard to say. Emma has made things easier…everyone sees how much they love one another and I think it makes my stepmother more palatable. No one thought Regina capable of it, but its there for all to see." James' face twisted unhappily, a father's irritation clearly written all over his face.

Etain tried not to think about what the two of them would be up to, but the images came flooding in. Regina nestled between muscled thighs, Emma calling out in ecstasy. Sickening jealousy settled in against her heart.

Snow continued. "And then there's Henry. I have no idea what it is about him, but the town loves him, and I think, somehow, so does Regina. And _that_, I can't explain."

Shrugging battle-toned shoulders, the smaller woman commented absently. "Of course they do, his magic is subtle, but effective."

James blinked in surprise. "I'm sorry, what? What magic?"

The Fay Queen laughed brightly, surprising them both with the merry sound. "Henry is half mythical creature. Whatever fay creatures travelled to this land would have been all over Emma like a rash. She screams magic, and you know what kind of siren's call that is to our kind." And Emma was attractive in more ways than one, much to Etain's chagrin.

Snow's dark brows wrinkled in thought. "But Emma insists that the father is human. Some man she met when she was still a teenager." Etain shrugged again, unable to deny the truth to his grandparents. "He may have been human here, which is an altogether different thing. Or, she's mistaken as to who the father is. We elves can conceive in a variety of different ways." Snow's expression was equal parts intrigued and worried. James just looked grossed out. "What can I say Princess? We're a fertile bunch." Silver brows wiggled suggestively and the prince had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from cuffing the impish creature.

"That also means that Henry is one of your subjects." Head canting, the Queen hummed in the affirmative. "Yes, which is a good thing. My first instinct will always be to protect him, to ensure his safety first and foremost. He is one of the People and my purpose will always be to protect my subjects. " The princess nodded shakily, worry still nibbling.

11-11-11

Long limbs dangled off the edge of the bed as their owner stared off in thought. Emma lay sprawled, her body strangely still. Regina could always tell when the blonde was thinking intently; her eyes stared off into the distance while her normally fidgety body finally grew still. It always reminded her of Henry. His tiny face and energetic body would slow and eventually halt as his mind churned away at some particularly difficult math problem. Or what to do about an entire town full of cursed fairytale creatures.

The blonde's thoughts had been churning almost endlessly since their meeting in the diner. Ruby had convulsed as Snow held her, some unseen force seeping away to leave the waitress weak and bewildered. Eyes almost swollen shut, her nose continuing to seep crimson, the wolf had been utterly confused as they relayed the last few minutes. Regina had merely sat back, head turning this way and that as she scented the air. Aloof and quietly menacing.

And then there was her mother's elven friend. She had been slick with sweat, her forearm twisted at such an odd angle that the sight of it had made the Sheriff ill. But Etain had been adamant that not only did she not want any assistance, but that Regina's efforts were especially unwanted. Emma wondered if they had found yet another old enemy of the Evil Queen's, with the exception that this one was more powerful than most.

Once again, the White Knight was left with a puzzle and little to no pieces to work with. It left her bitter and helpless. In the span of a year, she had picked up more than just responsibility; she had somehow acquired an entire family. Henry gave her the desire to be better, to be someone worthy of him.

Regina gave her everything else.

Emma's quiet voice filled the recently cozy-made bedroom. "We need to speak with Mr. Gold. If anyone is going to know what's going on, it'll be Gold."

Regina didn't look up from the monstrously thick book she was reading.

"And what if he's disinclined to speak with us? Do you have something left to barter that I'm unaware of?"

The blonde head turned slowly to look up at Regina's profile. "No. But if all else fails, I can beat the crap out of him."

Biting the inside of her cheek painfully, the brunette tried to stifle a chuckle. Storybrooke's Sheriff brought more than love into her world, but she refused to let on how much joy had accompanied the infuriating woman. "Tomorrow. It's late and I think we've fought the forces of evil enough for one day."

Emma sidled closer, body tensed pleasantly. "But what will we do in the meantime?" Regina's book closed with a heavy thud as the brunette's heart jackhammered in anticipation.

"Well my dear, I'm sure I can conjure up a few ideas."

11-11-11

Soft snoring filled the small apartment. Etain had woken as the moon reached it zenith, rays of light filtering through dust covered windows. Her power was greatest in the dark of night, and some part of mankind still remembered to be untrusting of the shadows. Nightmares, magic and mayhem came calling when the lights went out.

And now was the time to go and finally finish a little errand the Fay Queen had been loathe to finish. She closed her eyes briefly. As word of the curse's demise had reached the land of Fay, Weyland had told her to tread carefully with the godmothers, to show restraint. But her anger at Blue had stayed, growing and changing into something nearing rage. The fairy had disobeyed, and what was worse, she had taken all of the godmothers with her, leaving the realms to chaos.

Etain moved quietly, slinking around Snow's tiny living space. She was dressed in all her regal glory, finely tooled leather dark and gleaming. She needed to impart on Blue and her fairies that this was a royal call, one that would result in justice. A justice unmarked by mercy.

Making her away across town was easy as she simply followed the smell of fairy magic. The nuns were made of it, their very bodies bleeding power into the cool, New England air. Storybrooke's residents were slumbering and had left the streets mercifully empty. Long minutes later, Etain stood in front of the town's aging orphanage, expectation filling her small chest.

The steps were weathered and peeling. Whitewashed and cracked, the floorboards leading up to the front door were no better. She wondered idly why the fairies hadn't simply used their newfound magic to correct the building's battered appearance. The thought gave her pause and sparked her curiosity at how much magic was truly left in this world.

Etain dismissed the thoughts as she reached for the overly large, battered door in front of her. She gave it a single, heavy knock, reinforcing the blow with a heavy dose of power. The sound filled the entire building, reverberating and escaping the windows that sat open to the chilly autumn night. A smug satisfaction sparked as the Fay Queen heard panicked rustling within.

The door opening hesitantly as a small, tired face peered down at her cautiously. Brown, innocent eyes almost overwhelmed the girl's pixyish face. The Queen's mind fought to conjure a name and finally found it in the far recess of her brain. Nova. This fairy that had given up love for her duty, something Blue had insisted on, but had been unable to do the same.

The sight of the sweet young woman made the elf's blood surge with rage. Blue had forced Nova and Dreamy apart, destroying two lives in the process. And had ultimately destroyed many more with her disobedience.

The fairy fell to one knee, hazel-brown eyes staring into the floor.

"What can I do for you My Queen?"

Etain forced her anger aside, not wanting to frighten the young woman. She placed a gentle hand on her brunette's trembling shoulder.

"Bring me the Blue Fairy. Please."

Nova turned, disappearing into the shadowy space behind her. Large and still, the massive home was quiet with sleep. The Fay Queen stayed within the doorway, knowing that her passing the threshold would alert the house's occupants to her presence. Footsteps echoed, coming towards her in quick strides.

Blue's face was a mask of annoyance; she stomped behind Nova's pink clad form. And froze when she saw Etain's quiet, angry face.

"Nova, leave us." Golden eyes followed the slim girl's retreating back. Etain whispered into the darkness. "So much joy destroyed…in this life and back in the many realms." She turned to fix Blue with a hard, unforgiving stare. "It is time for you to face the consequences of your disobedience."

Blue's face filled with fear as Etain reached forward and pulled her roughly forward into the waiting portal forming around them. Crossing into the land of Fairy brought bliss and fear for the godmother. Instead of appearing in the mist-covered hills of her homeland, Blue stood within a large, wood paneled room. Etain stood several feet away, clad in darkness as dim orbs of light danced above them.

Full-length mirrors filled the massive hall, thousands upon thousands of them. As Blue looked closer, figures flickered in the glass, faces contorted in grime, poverty, and agony. The nun walked over to the reflective surface closest to her, curiosity tugging at her hungrily. Etain made no move to stop her.

The blue-clad nun peered through the glass-covered portal, watching as a blood spattered girl hugged an elderly woman close. Fire burned brightly behind them, framing the anguished girl in artificially merry light. As Blue watched, a large man walked slowly up behind the sobbing child, a massive two headed axe in his beefy left hand. The child sat unmoving, utterly unaware.

He raised the axe slowly, knowing that haste was not needed. Blue's eyes bugged in horror as she started slamming her hands into the mirror's cold, frosted surface. The scene continued unabated even as the fairy screamed into the glass. The axe landed with a wet thud and the child's head rolled away, shadows masking the red pulp at her throat. Tiny hands still clutched the limp woman.

Blue's knees gave way as she turned away from the scene. Shock made her tremble, but she still flinched as the mirror suddenly disappeared. Etain moved to fill the chilled, empty space.

"Your love came at a cost." Etain circled the crouching figure. "The price was not paid by you. It was paid by the countless lives you and the other godmothers left behind, unchanged and unloved." The Queen felt her anger reaching its pinnacle, rolling painfully through her.

She seethed through clenched teeth, "I told you to return to our realm once Snow and James had the tree. I made myself very clear."

"They needed help! They needed us! How could we simply leave them to Regina's curse?" Blue shouted back.

"We did help. You found a way and I gave you the last of my father's enchanted forest. That tree was all I had left."

Tears stained Blue's pale dress. "But I did it for love. I did it for the love of that family, for James and Snow."

Etain's eyes were hard, angry chips of molten gold. "You told Dreamy that he had to refuse his own heart in order to bring joy to the lands. You had them choose duty over their greed for happiness."

The shorter woman leaned down, bringing her face inches from Blue's tear streaked own. "I never thought you a coward. I thought you were the best example of what the People did for Man and the many realms."

Etain turned to face the artificial forest of mirrors. "You are more than a person, Blue. You and yours are meant to serve as guardians of Man. We are their conscious, their path to love and happiness, and we keep the balance."

Disgust laced the Queen's voice. "Your punishment is to watch them all." Long, elegant arms opened to take in the countless bits of reflective glass. "To bear witness to the lives lost, the futures destroyed for your love."

She walked forward, through the untold aisles, refusing to look back at the woman breaking behind her.

"And when you are done, you will choose. Love or duty."


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER 12**

As Regina had promised, the Mayor and her Sheriff rallied the troops shortly after dawn. The streets surrounding the Dark One's home were barren, much like the night before. Late afternoon sunlight bathed everything in fire as they piled out of Snow's battered and paint-spattered SUV. James had stayed back with Henry, knowing that Regina's wards and his sword were the boy's best defense. That had left the women to go out and question the town's resident pawnbroker and Emma was grimly determined to win this particular skirmish.

They had visited Gold's shop, only to find that it was empty of both him and his gentle companion. The shop had looked as though it had been empty for several days, causing a small bundle of worry to form in Emma's chest. Regina had asserted the need to visit Rumple's surprisingly modest home to ascertain his well being, if not to ultimately question him.

And now they walked slowly up the leaf-laden driveway that led to a straightforward looking two story bungalow. The closer they came, the more uncomfortable the elf and mayor appeared. Etain was taking on a strange shade of green, her lips forming a tight, unhappy line. Regina merely looked like she wanted to rip someone's throat out with her teeth. Not that unusual for Storybrooke's Mayor.

Finally the fay had to stop a few feet from Gold's front door, leaning forward on shaky knees to retch violently. The evil queen's reaction was far less dramatic, choosing to lean heavily on the pristine Jag that sat quietly to their right. She glistened with sweat, shifting uncomfortably in her Armani skirt suit. And worried idly that the thin side mirror would come off in her perfectly manicured hand as she clung tightly to it.

Etain looked up at Regina between gags. "Protective wards by the feel of it." The mayor was fast approaching her own shade of sickly olive and responded with a rasp. "The more powerful the wielder, the more of a kick-back the wards give off. Effective and cruel. I like it."

The smaller woman righted herself with difficulty, hoping that her stomach was finally emptied of anything useful. Slowly, she reached out towards the thick wood paneled door. Running her fingers along the barrier, the false human skin tore away and strung itself out against the invisible bubble. The cream colored tissue gave the spell's surface a grotesque, curved shape. Etain sighed with annoyance at the sight of her mutilated hand.

"Looks like Rumple isn't too keen on seeing any magically endowed visitors today."

Pulling her hand back, the tissue reknitting over the silvery hue of her hand, she turned to give Regina a long sideways look. Jaw clenching, she spoke quietly to Snow while her eyes stayed squarely on the Evil Queen's curious face. "I'm assuming you want me to come with you."

The White Queen's face scrunched in confusion for several seconds before realization dawned. Etain would need to dismiss her human form and present both Regina and Gold with her true, elven body. And the fay didn't seem too thrilled with the idea. "We need you. Regina's magic is…hampered by her promise to Henry. We need someone less encumbered."

Etain raised her hand over her head as she closed her eyes in concentration. "Might as well get a wardrobe change in while I can in that case." Deep gray smoke engulfed her, only to dissipate seconds later to reveal the Queen in her fay form. Finely worked, silvered armor hugged her every curve, chain mail peeking between the creases.

Adjusting her sword to sit more comfortably against her left hip, she stole another glance at the brunette beside her. Regina's face was a still mask for the exception of her overly expressive eyes. They had darkened drastically in rage. The Evil Queen smiled sweetly, seething. "Nice to finally meet you Princess Etain. If I had but known, I would have welcomed you more appropriately."

Etain inclined her head in mock civility. "Which would have resulted in one of us killing the other. I would so hate to take Henry's Mother from him." She turned away from dark eyes. "And I am a Queen now, or have you forgotten?"

12-12-12

Nudging Snow to follow, Emma called out for Belle as the rest of the group shifted through the overly humid hallways. Condensation pooled, causing them to slide and falter as they tried to move stealthily. Residual magic hung thick and clinging. The sensation was equal parts fear-inducing and intoxicating for Etain and Regina. The Mayor licked her lips slowly, savoring the charged air.

The blonde's voice continued to echo off to their right as the Queens ventured forth into what appeared to be Gold's dining room. Regina ran perfectly manicured nails along the wooden table that dominated the room, scraping away what looked like dried wax. She lifted her fingers to the curious elf, brown eyes silently questioning. Etain shrugged in response.

As the brunette turned, something wet and muscled slid over her open-toed pump. She froze, willing Etain to take notice of the disgusted panic plastered across her face. Instead, the elf let out a yelp as she tripped and disappeared behind the far side of the dining room table. A strangled scream erupted a heart beat later.

The familiar uncoordinated stomping of the White family followed Emma's call of concern. Etain's head popped back into Regina's view, something distantly related to a snake winding itself tighter around her pale throat. The elf clawed at the thick stream of scaled flesh as it rippled, latching on tighter. Blue had started to tint perfectly bowed lips.

Regina closed her eyes, pulling together her darker magic. Purple crackled painfully at her fingertips as fire started to spark. She turned achingly slowly towards the suffocating elf, clenching her firsts around a now healthy ball of flame. As she lifted a long boned hand, the world exploded in light as Etain roared.

Magic exploded outward in a hail of sparks that cascaded over Regina and the surrounding walls. The snake thing was torn to pieces, thick slivers of flesh bouncing off various surfaces. Startled, the Mayor released her own fiery magic and watched as it flew away to land against the goo-covered walls. It sizzled wetly.

Etain clung to the edge of the table, gulping gratefully at the sudden ability to breath. Circling the table, stepping carefully, Regina raised a hand to touch gently at the elf's raw throat. The pale skin was already darkening into livid bruises as chaffed bits of blood dotted Etain's chin. The brunette trailed her thumb slowly up the chords of the smaller woman's throat, the bruises diminishing with sweetened magic.

A long forefinger brushed away the slim trickle of blood that curved along Etain's jaw. Regina's mouth watered in anticipation as she brought the blood tipped finger to her lips. Her dark lips parted as she sucked on the digit slowly. Etain shivered, but she couldn't tell it was from fear or something more carnal.

The faint sound of rustling broke their gaze from each other. Etain shivered as the Evil Queen turned away. Etain was drawing her sword as Regina let out a stifled gasp. Fire burned savagely as the Mayor took an involuntary step back, and into the elven warrior behind her. Peering over the taller woman, Etain peeked over an Armani clad shoulder.

Gold lay in a pile, the snake-things that had attached Etain slithered around him in hissing knots. Blood flowed thick and sweet, mingling with their scaled, serpentine bodies. A deep, ruinous hole took up the majority of Gold's chest, with the snakes taking residence there. If she squinted, Regina was sure she could see glimmering eggs nestled in against his exposed ribcage.

It was quite possibly the creepiest thing either of them had ever laid eyes on. Regina's jaw clenched grimly as she watched one rather large specimen slither out of the slick, ragged edged wound. Broken bits of flesh pooled, mingling with the viscous sludge that had gathered beneath him. Etain felt her stomach prickle unpleasantly.

And suddenly Snow and Emma were there, filling the too-warm space with their shock. The blonde started forward, only to be caught roughly by her shorthaired mother. Blue-green eyes shone with fear, but not for herself. They were locked intently on the olive colored Queen who stood just feet away from a blood-soaked nest of vipers.

Using the flat of her blade, Etain gently shifted the mayor to her left and towards Emma. Magic bubbled along Nothung's length, illuminating the room in vibrant, mercury-laden colors. Diamond shaped heads turned sharply towards the elf's outstretched power, teeth bared and tongues tasting. They twisted closer, bodies blurring with motion.

With a whisper from pale lips, Etain once again filled with air with an explosion of earthen magic. The air curdled as the foul creatures blew back and into the walls. Silver fire consumed them, stifling their inhuman screams as they cooked. Death hung heavy for a few short seconds before Emma crouched down over Gold's disfigured body.

Resting her fingers against his sweaty throat, Emma felt for a pulse. A weak, but steady rhythm answered. The blonde let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She had seen enough death and mayhem in recent weeks and while Gold wasn't the best of men, Belle had made him human.

Turning, she spoke quietly to Regina who hovered closely. "Can you help him?"

"Not here." The mayor gestured absently at the misty air. "There's too much magic present. It would destroy even the most basic of my spell casting." Regina looked around in vague concern. "And where is Belle?"

Emma shook her head uncertainly. "Don't know, we couldn't find any trace of her. We'll need to figure that out later." The blonde looked up at the token elf, her smile uncertain. "We'll need to move him, any ideas?"

With a quiet grunt, Etain lifted the scrawny man into a fireman's carry. Snow cradled his flushed and oddly stern looking face. The fay Queen tried not to wince as she felt thick, warm slime dripping down her neck and into her enchanted armor. She would need to soak for days in order to rid herself of the smell.

Mayor Mills pulled the small group in close. She rested her left hand on the breastplate of Etain's armor as she reached backwards for Emma's hand. Snow's fingers curled into the gap between armor and chainmail to finish the link. And with that, they were whisked away to the Evil Queen's whitewashed mansion.


	13. Chapter 13

**CHAPTER 13**

The once grand house was now filled with manic bustle. Gold had been deposited into one of Regina's many spare bedrooms with no small amount of difficulty. He dipped in and out of consciousness, cursing them and thanking them in turns. And regardless of what mood he inhabited, he fought them. Scrabbling and vicious, he drew bruises and blood until finally Emma had stilled him with a well-placed blow. Snow had flinched while James had nodded in grim appreciation.

Etain now watched intently as Regina's hands formed the complex gestures needed for one of her many healing spells. A surprisingly bright spark filled the air, instantly negating the taller woman's work. She pushed away from the bed with a growl, frustration turning easily to anger. Gold continued to fight their magical efforts, his unconscious defenses proving uniquely hampering.

Pushing away from the doorframe, the elf fully entered the cream colored room. Without a word, she crawled onto the plush bedspread to straddle Rumpelstiltskin's narrow hips. Leaning forward to hover inches above his thin chest, Etain whispered softly into the hollow of his bloodstained throat.

Gold visibly relaxed, his body finally going limp against the bed's now filthy sheets.

"That should do it for now. He will no longer fight your ministrations. Just try not to kill him."

"Rumple is a fairy." The elf couldn't make out whether or not it was a question, but answered it anyway.

"Don't you think the Dark One meets the criteria for being a mythical creature? He's certainly not human…"

Regina snorted indelicately. "Unsurprisingly that he would be one of your subjects."

Peeling off her leather gloves impatiently, Etain wiped absently at her sopping brow. The mayor's expression was still tight and angry.

"Something else bothering you my Queen?"

Regina stepped closer, crowding the smaller woman in a vain attempt at dominance.

"Were you ever planning on revealing yourself to me? Or were you and Snow simply going to play me for a fool?"

Having Etain here was distracting, and a painful reminder of what the brunette could do even in the face of love. And it hurt to see Etain. To see the thinly veiled love that lived there still. But for all that, most disturbing of all, the Evil Queen smelled a willing victim. A victim begging to be taken.

The Fay Queen rolled her eyes heavenward.

"Snow doesn't even know. She thinks I'm afraid of you, that you wounding me in the final battle ruined my courage." Etain lifted her chin defiantly. "She knows nothing. Death no longer scares me, and neither do you."

Regina brushed her thumb along the pale line of Etain's jaw. "Were you ever really scared of me?"

The elf kept herself from turning to capture the Queen's thumb with her lips. "Only in that instant where you tried to take my heart. I thought I had escaped you…I was wrong."

Regina leaned in, her breath warming Etain's eager lips. "Maybe it would have been best for both of us if you had simply stayed home." Her smile vicious, the Mayor dropped her hands and left Etain with Gold's still body.

A handful of hours later…

"He'll be of no use to us for a few days. If anything, we should move him somewhere more secluded. Rumpelstiltskin's been touched by something even darker than himself and he's a coward at his core." Gold eyes settled seriously on Emma. "He will turn on us if given the chance to save his own skin. Remove him from this house if only to limit uncertain variables."

James' voice was more curious than confrontational. "And put him where? No one in this town will take him in and if he can't stay here, he's as good as lost."

"He has a place north of town, he took Moe French there to beat him, and worse. And I'd be willing to bet that's where he sent Belle." Emma stated quietly.

Snow nodded. "We stash him there. And maybe we'll get lucky and find his Belle as well, but for now, we get him out of our hair."

"Oh good, now I can burn the guest sheets." Regina snarked quietly.

Emma, who had wandered off briefly, reappeared clutching car keys triumphantly. "James and I will take him. Someone's going to have to roll him out of the car, and it's not gonna be me."

The elf departed as the family discussed how best to muscle the unconscious man into David Nolan's truck. She followed the smell of tightly packed earth. Moving through the impeccably decorated kitchen, she slipped into a clay-bottomed wet room. Rich, fertile earth filled the air with the sweet scent of home. Hooking her toe beneath one of the low-lying stools shoved against the far wall, Etain pulled it close.

She sat down heavily, tugging at her thick-soled boots tiredly. She and Regina had magically battled Gold's defenses, and each other, to counteract whatever had tried to tear apart the hateful imp. Something insidious was tearing at Rumple's mind, something that scratched at the back of Etain's thoughts with familiarity.

But she parked that for now, wanting nothing more than to sit in a scolding hot tub and soak away her growing sense of unease. Looking around, ensuring that she was indeed still alone, she magiced a tall, stone tub into the middle of the small room. It stood steaming, perfumed water too warm and inviting.

Etain took a deep, satisfied breath.

Stepping into painfully hot water, she felt the muscles in her legs and thighs unclench slowly. She tried not to wince as she started to sit down into the marble bottom, the perfumed liquid biting at her scrapes and nicks. Not for the first time, she soaked her battered body, desperate for relief from battle's aches and pains.

Leaning back, Etain rested her head against the lip of the tub. Time slowed as the Queen drifted away into sleep.

"You know, that's incredibly dangerous." Snow stood peering down into the tub and inches away from the elf's slumbering face.

Etain's head dipped the below the water as she was startled awake. Gagging on water, she came up sputtering.

Snow continued, ignoring her friend's wet coughing.

"You disappeared, so I came looking."

Startled gold eyes peeked up above the edge of the bath, pointed ears reddening in embarrassment. "I um…didn't think anyone would notice I was gone. And well, I smell something awful."

Snow covered her smile with a cough; sidling closer as Etain scurried to cover herself with strategically placed bubbles.

"You're all talk aren't you? You are chock-full of flirt and innuendo, but when push comes to shove, you've got nothing."

Etain sniffed derisively. "I don't know what you mean. Now if you'll hand me that towel, we can reintroduce some decorum."

The brunette chuckled as she reached for the ridiculously large towel, holding it up between herself and the now standing elf. As Etain wrapped herself up snuggly, the Princess peeked at the smaller woman. Snow gasped quietly. Reaching forward tentatively, she ran soft fingers over the hardened skin above Etain's heart. Age had turned the scar heavy and thick. Etain forced herself to sit still, hating the brunette's pitying touch.

"What happened after the battle? We never saw you again and we thought the worst. We…needed you."

"My father died that night. I sometimes think the shame of my failure took the last of his strength. No one of our line has ever fallen to the hands of man." Etain's head bowed to hide her suddenly damp eyes. "And I was never the same. I had nothing to offer you and it took me years to become something useful again."

Human hands pulled her close. Dainty fingers ran through her silver hair as Snow whispered thoughtfully. "You told Emma that she had never been without love. What makes you think that the same hasn't held true for you as well?"

Etain sobbed quietly as her friend held on tightly.

13-13-13

The drive up to Rumple's cabin was an eerily quiet one. Neither of them had been gentle as they had loaded up the unconscious man. The Dark One curled in on himself instantly. Emma dropped his cane unceremoniously beside him. She tried not to focus too much on the memory of Rumple beating Belle's father with the silver topped weapon.

She idly wondered if the pawnshop owner had gotten around to cleaning up the blood spatter that had caked the cabin's ancient walls.

Now the wooden shack loomed ahead, nestled in the woods on the very outskirts of Storybrooke. The two blondes tensed, Emma's hands tightening on the wheel anxiously. The unpaved drive way stood empty, sparking new worry for Belle. If she wasn't here, they would struggle to find the missing librarian. They parked within feet of the dilapidated porch, the truck's taillights bathing the cracked wood in garish red.

Charming pulled the man onto his shoulders in a fireman's carry, grunting softly with the effort. Emma led the way; un-holstering her side arm while her eyes wearily tracked the tree line. The cabin's door stood ajar; leaves and twigs bleeding into the first few feet inside. Nudging open the wooden slab with a scuffed boot, she peered into the shadows before entering quietly.

A thick layer of dust covered everything, crackling as they stepped onto the grit-covered floorboards. The smell of mildew clung to the ratty, second-hand furniture, permeating the air thickly. David slid the scrawny man onto the lone, metal-framed bed with a muffled bang. Rolling his shoulders, her father dusted his shoulders in mild distaste. He had never liked nor trusted Rumple, and hated having to touch the loathsome man.

Emma's eyes caught long trails in the thick dust leading from the kitchen and disappearing into the narrow hallway to their left. Brows furrowing, she touched her father's arm and motioned faintly with her head. He drew his sword, favoring it over the department issued nine millimeter. Emma tried not to dwell too much on how ridiculous they must look.

The Sheriff and Deputy slid through the sparsely filled kitchen, following disturbed dust until they came to the narrow pantry just off the back door. Swan looked over at her father who brought his sword to shoulder level, ready to strike. She took a deep, steadying breath. Reaching forward, she yanked the door open with an adrenaline-fueled rush.

Belle was a shivering pool amongst the rusted cans.

She sat huddled, the dim light catching on the butcher knife Belle clutched to her chest. It shook and had obviously nicked the brunette in the chin as blood stained her face and throat.

"Are you…_you_?"

Emma blinked down at the cowering woman in confusion. "I'm sorry?"

The shuddering knife suddenly became still as brown eyes sharpened on the blonde. "Ruby…wasn't right when I went to see her today." Belle blinked back tears, but held firm. "She told me that I was a waste of time. That…that I was useless." Her voice somehow became quieter. "And I thought she was going to strike me when I kept asking her what was wrong." Belle lifted her chin stubbornly. "And Ruby would never say that to me. And she would never lay a hand on me. Ever."

Emma crouched hesitantly, trying not to focus too much on the Top Chef blade that was now eye-level.

"Ruby isn't feeling so great, but she's with Whale now." She gave Belle a lopsided, hesitant smile. "You're her best friend Belle, and you're right, she could never mean something like that."

The Sheriff held out her hand, watching the brunette patiently. Belle took it with sweaty, cold fingers. Knife still cradled protectively beneath her sternum, she followed the Charmings into the sparse living area. She froze as she spotted Rumple's unconscious, battered body.

David took the knife from the trembling brunette gently; his voice was soft and not unkind. "What happened?"

"I don't know exactly. We were arguing over the usual really, and all of a sudden he looked terrified. And I could feel it, this sudden power filling the house, suffocating it. One second he was trying to explain to me his latest cruelty, and the next he had shoved me so hard I feel, but I didn't hit the ground."

The brunette stared down at her uncomfortably empty hands. "Anything that could scare him…the second I realized where I was, I grabbed the nearest thing I could find and hid." A single tear spilled over, creating a clear river in her blood caked chin. "He said he had to get rid of his weakness and suddenly I was here."

She kept glancing around her nervously, eyes darting randomly. Something unspoken passed between the two Charmings as they watched the spooked woman. David nodded at his daughter, knowing Emma would fair better at settling the brunette. "I'm going to check out the surrounding area. Make sure everything's okay before we leave."

The two women watched him go, the Sheriff ducking her head to keep her quiet, happy smile hidden. She was slowly growing into her love for him, finally starting to reconcile that Mary Margaret and David were her parents.

"I envy you," Belle spoke softly into the dim light. Emma's brows crinkled, confusion taking over hazel eyes.

"You and Henry have somehow found the person inside the Evil Queen, you've changed her for the better." Belle glanced back at the limp creature behind them. "And I can't help but wonder if I've already lost."

The blonde touched Belle's arm lightly. "Give him time. He can't help but be a better person with you loving him." Emma's eyes twinkled with a strange warmth. "You'll have to work for it, but it can be something truly wonderful."

Prince Charming's shuffling steps could be heard once more on the cabin's broken front porch. His footfalls were especially heavy, intentionally altering the two women of his presence. Emma's hand tightening reassuringly on Belle's still clammy arm, giving her a parting bit of warmth.

"Keep him here. We don't know what's going on, or how it'll affect him. We need to know he's safely on the sidelines."

The smaller woman offered up a ghost of a smile before turning to watch David ducking back into the overly quiet structure. "I know. The town doesn't need more than one troublemaker at a time."

David's eyes were kind as he handed her the Dark One's cane. "We'll come back when all this is over and help." He looked meaningfully at Gold. "With him."

As Emma left the ramshackle house, she turned back just in time to see Belle brush aside a stray bit of hair from Gold's forehead. The brunette was perched on the very edge of the bed, hovering over him protectively. People routinely compared her and Belle, the two of them falling in love with monsters. The Sheriff realized in that moment, evil or not, neither woman could help themselves in how they had found True Love.

Emma offered the brunette a sad smile, knowing that while Regina had started on her journey to redemption, Rumple had a long way to go.


	14. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER 14**

The Savior's sleep was broken by feverish dreams of bloodied battles and cruel magic. And through it all, Regina played the central role. Emma was never sure if her dreams were memories or heart-felt fiction. She was starting to learn that magic brought with it strange truths and unsuspecting consequences.

She was too warm and the sheets were almost cloying. Flicking aside the covers, the blonde slithered quietly out of bed. Quietly trailing down the short hallway, she paused long enough to peer into Henry's darkened room. Brown, mussed hair peeked up from the thick duvet. Small hands clutched a now dead flashlight and the latest Captain Marvel. The sight filled her belly with warmth.

She paused briefly at the sound of James' soft snoring coming from their spare bedroom. Her time away had allowed James and Henry to grow closer, and given the small boy the father figure he had so desperately needed. She still had difficulty reconciling Snow and her Prince Charming as Henry's grandparents. The thought continued to strike her as alien.

Moving on, she crept down the hardwood stairs. Bare feet met the chilled marble entryway. With a wince and a curse, Emma made a beeline for the always-immaculate kitchen. Brushing her long fingers along the eggshell colored wall, counting the gaping doorframes as she passed them, she froze as she saw the weak light bleeding out from the Mayor's library. She slid closer on cat-like feet.

Emma stopped once she fully entered Regina's large library and saw she was not the only one awake. Etain sat huddled over Henry's leather-bound book of fairytales. Her sleeping clothes were hastily gathered hand-me-downs from Emma and Snow. The shirt was too large, falling casually to bare her right shoulder. The flannel bottoms were long and bunching up over pale toes. She looked like a child who had endeavored to play dress up in adult clothes.

The elf had ignored the chairs completely and was instead perched atop the bookshelves.

"I still find the English language a nightmare to read." Emma jumped at the softly spoken words. Silver head still bowed over the colorful pages, Etain continued. "German is much easier and is far more descriptive in the base words." She closed the book with a thud, finally looking up.

"And they have much better fairytales. Filled with dragons, song, and magic that's used for good on more than one occasion."

The elf smiled down at the blonde mischievously. "You may want to back up a bit little Swan." Turning to face the wall, she flung herself backwards. Time slowed as Etain flipped lazily, landing lightly on her toes in the middle of low reading table.

Emma gave a low whistle. "Impressive."

The elf queen beamed impishly.

The sheriff looked around curiously, searching. "Snow tells me that you're never without your sword. And that it has a name?"

Forefinger and thumb touching, she drew a faint blue line downwards where it hung hovering in the air. Opening her hand with a flick of her fingers, the line spun open, revealing a brightly shining Nothung.

"Elves are never defenseless. And I am never without my father's blade little Swan." She delicately held Nothung by the blade, offering Emma the hilt. The blonde took it hesitantly, testing the weight with timid waves of her hand. "It is called Nothung and was forged by my ancestors in dragon fire."

Emma bit her lip, unease pulled at her brows, still handling the magical blade. "Can I ask you something? Something that has been bothering me for a while now?"

Etain waved the question away impatiently. "You humans put too much stock in words. Your words are lies to both the speaker and the listener." Golden irises filled the blonde's vision as the elf leaned closer, their faces inches apart. "Speak plainly little swan, and I will do the same."

"What did Regina do to you? There is obviously a history there."

Etain smiled emptily. Slowly she reached up to tug at the neck of her baggy t-shirt. The scar was particularly striking tonight, bright and marbled against soft, pale skin. Emma's eyes were riveted in grotesque fascination.

"Regina has been collecting hearts for years. And what she couldn't collect, she tried to kill. Love may protect you for a time, but its foolish to arm yourself with that alone."

Etain needed the Savior to understand what Regina had once been, how far she had come. But also how easy it would be for the Miller's Daughter to slip back into old, cruel habits. At least that's what she told herself…that her intentions were good. Poisoning the blonde against the Evil Queen couldn't be her goal…surely?

They stared at each other for long minutes, a dark understanding beginning to form between them.

Until Henry's panicked scream tore through the house. The sound seemed to strike a chord in both mothers and they scrambled desperately towards the sound. Somehow, Nothung was in Etain's smaller hands, bared and brightly flashing. As they tore through the main hall, Emma snapped up her holstered nine millimeter, pulling the leather over her shoulders impatiently.

They took the stairs in leaps, their panting bouncing off the walls. Etain's voice and cadence matched their thunderous footfalls, calling forth magic to transform the mansion's occupants. Armor materialized, wrapping around the elf's lean form. Emma's PJs peeled away, replaced with her customary jeans and leather jacket.

As they neared the boy's bedroom door, the sheriff looked down at herself incredulously, eyes questioning as she looked up at Etain's grim face. The elf winked in response, nervous energy making her giddy and inappropriately playful. Emma leaned back and surged forward, shoulder taking the door off its frame cleanly. Etain blinked, momentarily struck by deja-vu.

Henry stood at his window, clutching the sill with tight, trembling hands. Regina stood with him, encircling him with tight, protective arms. The brunette was clad in an armor Emma had never seen before, scaled and gleaming. The Sheriff wasn't quite sure what to make of the eighties inspired headdress, but was willing to park her misgivings for the outfit given how much cleavage was on display.

James' voice echoed down the hallway as magically booted feet thundered down the marbled hallway. Etain felt the Princes and Princess crowd in behind her as Emma joined her family at the window. As she followed Henry's gaze down into the apple orchid, the blonde gave a strangled cry of disbelief. Unable to resist, Etain peered curiously over Regina's silver-clad shoulder, and sucked in a surprised breath through suddenly clenched teeth.

The mansion's outer walls were swarming with what could only be described as insects that had been put together in all the wrong ways. Limbs and antennae were confused and haphazard, sprouting from every available surface. Henry's eyes looked glazed with horror, his mind struggling to take in the nightmares in front of him. Regina couldn't blame him; the sight would stick with her for weeks. The brunette gently pulled him away from the window, turning him gently and into James' arms.

Emma's voice was soft, but strong. "Any ideas?"

Regina crouched before her son, soothing his hair, pulling his hoodie tighter against his shock-chilled chest. "If we can get out of here, I know of a safe place." The Mayor paused in her fussing, fighting to keep the emotional mask in place. "My family's tomb is a stronghold against magic. We can regroup there."

Etain came to stand next to Storybrooke's Sheriff, feeling dwarfed, but not intimidated. "Your father and I can keep them at bay for a little while. It'll give you and Regina time to get your son away." She looked up at Emma's unhappy face. "Sorry little swan, you don't get much of a say in this particular plan."

James' tone was teasing, "Just like old times, except maybe this time you'll keep up."

Whispering into her upturned palms, the Mayor started to pull forth her magic. Emma's hands went to her holster as her stance hunkered down to strengthen her aim, her eyes riveted to the swarming ground below. Brushing aside her long hunter's coat, Snow pulled the heavy bow from along her back. Etain hoped silently that she was still decent with the long-range weapon. James shrugged off the massive quiver from his shoulder, handing the overly full leather holder to his wife. Metal tipped and hungry, the arrows were laden with a sleeping poison.

Stepping forward, the Fay Queen rested her steel-toed boot against the open window frame. Taking a deep, steadying breath, she offered up a silent prayer to the many Fay gods. In these few seconds before battle, she always wished to live long enough to lay eyes on her daughter. Odelina was her strength regardless of the foe, and Etain held the mental image of her tiny princess close.

She sprung from the open window, Nothung lighting up the foggy night air. Etain felt more than saw Snow's arrows whizzing by her head and into creatures below her. The fay landed lightly, only to come up swinging. Prince Charming's heavier frame hit the ground behind her with a grunt. Fire filled the space between them and Charming was struck by how similar Etain's magic mirrored the Evil Queen's.

The front door burst open with what was left of the Charming family. Snow led, arrow tip pointing forward and at the ready. Henry clung to Emma's back, his small legs barely able to encircle his mother's waist. Regina's hands were filled with fire as she brought of the rear, sandwiching Henry between her and the Savior.

Panting, Emma flung herself and Henry into the protective circle of fire. Snow and Regina joined them shortly. All three adults circled the boy, framing his frightened body in warmth. Crouching down into her immaculate yard, the Evil Queen's fingers dug into sweet smelling grass. A larger circle of fire flared up around them, framing them in a violet-tinted barrier.

The prince and fay queen stood just outside the leading edge of the fire-laden perimeter. Purple crackled and sparked as the creatures hit Regina's magical barrier. Etain retreated to meet James' muscled back. The entwined warriors swung viciously at the now swarming things.

Suddenly the twisted monsters fell away. In their wake a slightly hunching figure stood silent and still. The smell gave her away; dank dog and Icy Hot medicinal rub. James peeked curiously over his and Etain's shoulder to look at the strangely silhouetted figure in front of them, while still facing the skittering things behind. "What is it? What's coming for us now?" The small woman swallowed. "Something I wasn't expecting."

Granny's face splintered as her limbs crumpled and churned. Within seconds a scraggly, graying wolf stood in front of them. Its shoulders came up to Emma's chest; dwarfing any canine the blonde had ever laid eyes on. Taking a deep breath, Etain tilted her head to whisper into James' sandy hair. "Run my prince." James blinked in surprise at the command. Etain's voice rose slightly with authority. "I can buy you a few, precious minutes, but you must go, now!"

Turning, the prince scooped up his grandson in one smooth motion.

The wolf's mouth popped open, tongue lolling. Her teeth were yellowing and stained, blood crusting large gums. Without preamble, the old wolf launched herself at Henry and James' retreating back. Etain shoved both of her hands into the wolf's thick muzzle. Using her fists to keep the razor sharp teeth from snapping shut, she instead felt them pierce her unprotected wrists. Planting her heels, the small woman thrust them both backwards and into one of the gaping holes Emma and Regina had dug days before.

The sudden lack of earth made the Queen feel vaguely queasy. Gravity deposited them painfully onto the hard packed woodland floor; Etain lay beneath a now panicking Granny. Yanking away her blood-spattered arms, the fairy couldn't help but wonder if this wasn't some horrible reoccurring theme with the women in her life.

Breathing hard into the pale face below her, the elderly wolf scrabbled at the fay armor under her claws. The breastplate sparked as inhuman nails danced along its surface, begging for purchase. Winding her fingers into the Granny's ruff, Etain felt magic strengthen her grip. And an eerily similar source of magic pushed back. Startled, she froze, giving the wolf enough time to finally center its weight.

Granny surged forward towards the queen's delicate throat. And yellow teeth found their mark. Bright blue sparked, filling the grave sized hole. Runes burned brightly, filling the attacking wolf with false, magical fire. The graying dog howled in agony as Etain desperately clutched at her own throat. Blood cascaded through her fingers, hot and sweet. The elfish wards had saved her life, but could not keep the damage completely at bay.

Pain and wounded pride filled the small warrior with rage. With a gargling growl, she barreled towards the flailing werewolf. Drawing a knife that looked suspiciously like Rumpelstiltskin's, she stabbed at Granny's heaving flank. It sank hungrily into old flesh. Magic spun once more, engulfing the furry body before her. In an instant, Storybrooke's resident restaurateur lay bleeding and naked.

Seeing Granny in her altogether human form drained the fight from the now trembling Queen. Gently, she turned the ashen face towards her. The old woman's eyes were strangely vacant. Cursing, she drew the wounded woman closer. Whispering against graying hair, the Queen pictured the Mill's family tomb, somehow conjuring the place from some half-forgotten memory. Closing her eyes in concentration, she fought to block out the sound of long, segmented legs finally crawling over and into their hole.


	15. Chapter 15

**CHAPTER 15**

"How big _is_ this place?" Emma kept turning in slow, astonished circles as she eyed the massive space beneath Regina's family crypt.

"Big. I lived here while constructing Storybrooke and eventually used it to store all the things I brought through from our old world."

The skin along Regina's arms suddenly tightened before erupting into goose bumps. A heart beat later and the room was filled with a swirling fog, almost masking the two figures that sat huddled. As the fog lifted, James was simply appalled. Granny lay naked as the day she was born with a large knife protruding from just above her scarred hips. Twin hip replacements had definitely left their mark.

But Snow's elf looked worse. She sat back heavily onto her haunches while both hands tried to cover the shredded mess that was her throat. The hands themselves were bloodied and several of the fingers looked broken. Looking up at the assembled humans, her ruined voice broke the stunned silence.

"The bitch _bit_ me." She cleared her throat thickly. "Anyone know if she's at least had all her shots?"

The Sheriff covered her mouth as she laughed weakly, guilt-ridden joy tugging at her chest. Blood and obvious pain had bought her family's safety. But the small woman was charming and defiant. Even now, watching Snow and Regina fuss over the silvered beauty, she wore a cocky smirk. The blonde felt a tug at her heart, followed closely by her libido.

Several minutes later, and something that resembled calm had once more descended on Regina's plush crypt. The Mayor sat with the now-shivering Etain, the brunette working silently to heal the smaller woman's tattered face and throat. Their silence was uneasy and thick with tension. Snow kept glancing over, reassuring herself that they had not killed each other in the shadow filled space.

Etain refused to look at the darkly colored woman as Regina's magic wove into the now pale wounds. Her throat was more or less back to normal, but temporarily endowing her voice with a rougher quality that the Mayor found appealing. The witch was now focused on the gaping holes that littered Etain's forearms and the crumpled fingers that jutted out at very odd angles.

Snow and James had tucked Henry away into one of the many corners, hoping to keep the night's horrors to a minimum. And seeing the elderly, sweet woman bruised and bleeding was firmly on that list. The two sat on either side of the young man, hands tangled behind his back as Snow snuggled in against James' large chest. Henry fit perfectly between his grandparents, encircled in warmth and affection.

Moving over to the still woman, the blonde had draped a thick blanket over the now shivering body. Granny let out a weak whimper, curling into the thin warmth. The blanket tented strangely over the knife that still towered from her side. Regina had been hesitant to remove the knife, unsure what a magically released Granny would result in, if the wolf would come storming back.

Once her wrists stopped throbbing, the elf pulled her hands free almost roughly. "That's enough from you, thanks." The taller woman's eyes darkened with offense. Reaching out to sharply catch the elf's arm, the brunette's voice grew low and rough. "So eager to dodge my touch? I would have thought after so long you'd want even more my dear."

"Times change and lovers leave don't they my Queen?" Regina's jaw clenched in response.

Etain closed her eyes in surrender, exhaustion draining her of fight. "We need to stop. We have far more to worry on at the moment." She stood without looking at the brunette who sat in stony silence. Without a word, the small elf lowered her hand to the Evil Queen, silently hoping for some gesture of civility. They stood like that for several long minutes; Etain unwilling to withdraw her hand, Regina refusing to take it.

Emma came in, her face horrified and flushed. "You two need to come out here now. Like, right the fuck _now_."

Both women blinked in surprise, with Etain acting first. Bolting completely to her feet, she tore from the small, almost closet of a room. Sword drawn, she froze as she came in sight of the now kneeling gray-haired woman that sat blankly staring into the middle of the open space. The Charming family stood several feet away, fascinated.

Granny's face bulged grotesquely, cheeks bloating and then sagging to meet her shoulders. The Sheriff and Evil Queen pressed the now-awake Henry back, shielding him from whatever was playing out before them. Suddenly the flesh parted, erupting in a shower of blood and something viscous. The assembled cringed back, twisting away from the creature now squirming into the cool air. Emma felt her stomach clench unpleasantly.

Fire flickered behind them, Regina's hands cupping the amber flames, as James and Etain surged forward from opposite sides of the room. With a swipe of his boot, the Prince knocked the segmented bug free of the older woman's hanging skin. It squalled loudly at the contact. Henry groaned at the sound.

"What the hell is it!" the blonde squeaked.

The elf chased after the bolting horror, somehow conjuring a massive glass jar from thin air. With a loud clatter, Etain captured the skittering spider in its new glass prison. It angrily clawed at the transparent material, leaning back to spit poison on the smooth walls. She watched in fascination as the jar dimpled, but stayed intact. They didn't have long before it fought its way free. She felt more than saw someone crouch down next to her.

Regina let out a shaky breath, her heart hammering visibly beneath her thin silk shirt. "What is it?"

Etain placed a long, pale forefinger on the top of the jar. "I think I know…but I'll have to kill it to be sure." She paused thoughtfully. "Well, I say kill it, but if I'm right, there's nothing here to kill."

Regina stared at her blankly. The smaller woman turned her attention back to the obviously angry arachnid thing. It was now standing in a thick pool of poison, which was starting to eat away at the stone flooring. Breath fogged the glass jar, obscuring the delicate creature trapped within as the two women leaned in close.

Golden eyes closed as Etain started to pull together her magic. Undoing a _changing_ took meticulous effort. It was like picking apart crochet, the streams of magic tightly interwoven and intricate. She let out a puff of breath and released her magic down her finger and into the glass jar. The spider blew apart in a splash of light and color. Regina flinched as bits of mass rattled the jar's walls.

Within seconds the fireworks faded leaving in its wake…strips of darkly dyed felt. The Evil Queen stood abruptly as the fairy merely hung her head in exhaustion.

"Its not possible. There's no portal between the two lands." Etain tried to ignore the stress in Regina's voice, the sound sparking her own fear.

"The materials must have come here with the curse. Once here, they were dormant for years. But someone familiar with the _changing_ would have been able to sense them from miles away."

Snow, James and Emma exchanged confused looks, unable to follow the conversation.

James' rich baritone bounced off the tight walls. "What are you talking about? What is this thing?"

The Mayor answered absently. "A creature from Wonderland. Someone has taken base materials from that place and performed a changing." The Charmings looked at the witches blankly. Regina lifted the glass container, setting it aside as she ran her fingers over the smooth, blood red felt that lay partially soaked in watery venom.

"Materials in and of Wonderland don't act the same way as everything else. You can use magic to twist it, warp it, and make it something new. Air can be turned to animals, vegetation to new life entirely. But you have to have the skill and something from that land. Neither should be here in this world."

Etain looked up searching for Henry's messy brown hair. Curious eyes peeked up over Snow's dainty shoulder. "Henry, where's your book?"


	16. Chapter 16

**CHAPTER 16**

Etain jabbed a triumphant finger at the page and into the Mad Hatter's manic grin. "Him! The only thing in Storybrooke touched by Wonderland. Regina's curse would have been altered by the weirdness that is well, everything there. It probably couldn't grab just him, so it took a chunk of the land with him. It brought it all here, giving your enemy plenty to work with."

Snow's voice was hesitant, scared. "How many hats did he have Emma? You're the only one that's seen the majority of that house."

"He had hundreds of them. They were laid out in these odd glass cases that lined the walls…" she trailed off, her heart jackhammering as she remembered not the hats themselves, but the massive spools of felt, silk, and ribbons.

"But he had a lot more than hats."

Regina felt panic starting to rise sharply. She knew of only one person with the magical knowledge and who used to reside within Wonderland itself. And according to Snow and Emma, may have followed them through Storybrooke's portal. The brunette unconsciously reached for Snow's daughter, her throat closing against fear drenched tears.

"This is my mother's work."

The Sheriff's head snapped up, her neck creaking painfully.

"Are you sure? Regina, I…that would be bad. Very, very bad."

The Mayor's voice sharpened. "Yes dear, I'm aware of how _bad_ this is."

Emma knelt, clenching her hands to keep them from shaking. If Cora could piece together nightmares from bits of felt and ribbon, they were in serious trouble.

"We need help, we need more magic and more swords to hold off whatever the hell it out there." James turned, his pale eyes apologetic and pleading. "My Queen, we must once again call about the fay people."

Etain shook her head sharply. "No. Too many of my people have laid down their lives for Man. Your leaving brought my family, and my lands, peace. I will not sacrifice that, no matter what love I hold for you."

Emma's face turned stubborn. "We can get the Blue Fairy and the nuns to help us."

Elven teeth ground together, biting back her anger at the arrogance of Charming's family. "Blue is otherwise engaged."

Coming up to stand beside her daughter, Snow's face was equally sure. "She will come to our aid. All we have to do is ask."

Small hands slammed down into the high table between them. "She is not your servant! Such arrogance!" Etain's eyes shone brightly with some unseen fire. "Your love has cost so much." She sighed softly, closing her eyes against the stricken looks in front of her. "But I can call on one."

She crouched down to her knees, wincing at the ache it brought. Etain would not command Weyland to come, she would ask. Beg. And more. Kneeling, she pressed pale hands to the cold floor. She pictured the things that were so uniquely his in order to call him forth. His kind eyes framed by scarred brows. Strangely long, beautiful fingers that had grown battered and rough from handing the cracked handle of his sword. The runes his family had carved into his very skin, imbuing his flesh with protective magic. A voice that pleasantly rumbled his thick chest.

The strange love that had started to spring between them on the day of her daughter's birth.

And she sang softly as she worked. Songs brought power, framing the singer's will into purpose. She sang for him, asking instead of commanding. Within seconds, mist began to form around the elf's lips. The mist grew, curling and coalescing into a shadowy facsimile of a man.

The singing suddenly stopped and the mist snapped together with a loud pop. Empty space was now filled with a silent, armored man whose horns stood almost a foot above his braided hair. He was exotically beautiful, and while he was huge by fay standards, he was barely the same height as James. Wings lay subtly tucked behind his heavily muscled shoulders. Snow recognized him immediately and she suddenly ached for a childhood filled with her father and fairytales.

His finely boned, calloused fingers reached down to cup the Queen's frosted cheeks. Jealousy sparked as Regina watched the fay royal visibly relax into the gesture. With a small smile, she allowed him to pull her upright. Standing next to him, the two looked truly alien against the overly mundane backdrop. His wing twitched to cover Etain's bare shoulders, pulling her closer in against his breastplate.

The gargoyle bowed his head deeply; his gentle eyes locked on Snow's tear filled ones.

"It is a pleasure to meet with you again Princess Snow. You have been away from our lands for far too long."

Etain looked away at the words, knowing her disgust with Regina had colored her dealings with Mankind. Weyland had never approved, but as it had strangely helped with Fay people, he couldn't voice his irritation as anything more than blatant bigotry on behalf of his Queen.

Emma cleared her throat, eyes wide as she eyed the strange creature in front of them. "And you are?"

"You need magic and muscle." He bowed, a teasing smile tugging at his darkly stained lips. "And I have both, thanks to the gods."

Etain smiled thinly. "This is Weyland. He's been a General in our armies for years. Come morning, we can regroup and face whatever Cora has ready for us."

Their fingers twisted as they turned together. Emma took in the easy intimacy, their quiet strength in each other. But something rang untrue in their gestures. Love sung between them, but a love unfulfilled. Weyland was gentle, but stiff. The elf queen trailed behind him, eyes lingering on Regina as she walked past.

Emma watched them curiously. Maybe her mother was right; maybe Regina had broken Etain in a way no one quite understood. The elf woman always kept the brunette firmly in sight, probably making sure she couldn't stab the smaller woman between the shoulder blades. And for her part, the Evil Queen seemed to valiantly try not to be alone with the small elf.

Weyland settled into the corner, his beefy frame filling it easily. Without a word Etain snuggled in against his chest, her cheek resting at the space between his throat and shoulder. With a twitch of his shoulders and a rustle of movement, his wings came forward to cover them both in warmth.

Etain curled into him, her smaller, leaner frame finding and falling into the nooks and crannies. Snow turned away, taking Charming's hand without thought, leading him away to the pile of haphazard blankets settled in their own corner. They fell into their own familiar reclined embrace.

Henry sidled closer to his darker colored mother, winding his boyish fingers into the Mayor's gentle hands. Regina led him away, settling him in thick, soft blankets as she slid off her designer heels to crouch down beside him. She spent several minutes fussing over him before settling his head against her chest. Emma joined them later as the two brunettes had squirreled under the covers together, Henry fidgeting fretfully.

Sleep called, exhaustion pulling them all into slumber.

Hours passed away as night crept steadily towards the morning. But Regina couldn't rest, her mind spinning with the sight and thoughts of Etain and her General. It wasn't jealousy so much as something somehow darker, more possessive. Seeing the smaller woman had rekindled the baser parts of herself, the parts she was so keen to keep away from Emma's watchful eyes. Finally she slid from Henry's tight, desperate grasp.

Weyland was steady and still, his breathing deep and measured. The dark mayor stood over them; her eyes alight with something hungry. Etain's eyes snapped open suddenly, the feeling of being watched sparking the sudden wakefulness. Without speaking, Regina simply held out her hand. She somehow knew the elf would leave him behind and take her hand.

The small queen slithered away from the General's slumbering frame.

Etain allowed herself to be led away, curiosity robbing her of any sense of self-preservation. The brunette tugged her closer; pulling her into one of the many smaller rooms that littered the long, winding hallways. Etain allowed herself to be lead, knowing that the taller woman would be hard-pressed to harm her here in the midst of others.

They came to a halt, the dimly lit room adding a layer of tension. The small woman shuffled from foot to foot, nervous energy bristling along her spine. She was morbidly curious and reeked of fear; Regina could smell it on her like some intoxicating perfume. The brunette's hands were feather-light as she gently pulled away the stained bandages. Unlike before, Etain was still, patient. Her General's presence gave her a strange sense of strength and calm.

Regina's magic was strangely soothing as it inched deeply into pale, silvery skin. The wound at the fay's throat was still red and raw, feathering with ashen white as the skin tried slowly to knit back together. Regina wove her power along this ruined tissue, healing with long, purple strokes. The elf let the human woman continue to bare her torso; olive colored hands and magic trailing lower to ease away the bruises and scrapes.

Her body was awash in relief as aches bled away. For the first time in years, Etain felt herself releasing some deep-seated pains. She leaned into Regina's body, letting the taller woman pull her close against warm curves. Etain nuzzled into the brunette's throat, her breath tickling the hollow of the Mayor's throat. The brunette tried to stifle a blissful sigh.

A long finger lifted the pale chin upwards to meet lush lips. The kiss was searing and sweet, and altogether wrong. Regina's touches had never before been so delicate. She ached at the witch's newfound gentleness. Leaning in, Etain breathed in the brunette's spicy scent. The kiss deepened, tongues tangling.

With a sudden, sharp intake of breath, the taller woman pulled away. Rich, brown eyes were filled with something new, guilt. The silver haired Queen let her hands wander down the front of the mayor's immaculate silk shirt, pausing briefly over the brunette's jackhammering heart. Etain fought to steady her jackhammering heart.

"I see. My little swan has captured something I thought long dead." A pale thumb caressed the exposed skin at Regina's sternum. "Your heart." The brunette took a sharp breath, her beautifully scarred lip curling to deny Emma angrily.

Sensing the sudden shift in mood, the fay woman tensed. Anger she understood and worryingly, desire bubbled up in response. And not for the first time, Etain wondered how damaged Regina's love had left her. Her hands turned soothing, trying to calm the woman in front of her. "Easy my love. I meant only that you love her, and you should. She has taken away so much of your darkness…"

Golden eyes clouded as something clicked into place for Etain. "Weyland. You were jealous of him and now you've come to stake your claim. Regina's eyes closed, her hands clenching painfully. She was trying so hard not to take, not to bring pleasure and pain in equal measure. To not be the Evil Queen.

Sadly, Etain leaned close, kissing the witch's temple sweetly. "I will always want you. But I will not wait forever."

The elf slipped away, leaving Regina alone in the suddenly suffocating darkness.


	17. Chapter 17

**CHAPTER 17**

"We can't stay here hiding forever. We need to draw Cora out into the open."

Snow's voice was troubled, her small face scrunched tightly in frustration. For once, Snow's comments brought no dissent. Regina was strangely quiet while Emma stood sucking on her bottom lip in concentration. The once Evil Queen stood with her hands resting on Henry's still boyish shoulders. His eyes still looked haunted as he hunched, curling slightly into his parents. The boy wanted so badly to be strong, but fear had made him cling to his mothers in an easy way that manhood would rob him of.

"Cora knows of this place, we won't be able to stay here for much longer anyway." Regina closed her eyes, knowing that hiding behind her father, or anything else, had never been much of an option.

"Fortify the Mayor's residence. Regina and I can take Henry there and camp out. Cora will come to us at some point, except this time, we have a little more firepower at our disposal."

Etain gave Weyland a long, sideways glance, smirking. He smiled slyly in return, his body already aching for the upcoming hunt. Charming tried not to notice how absurdly primed the two elves looked; bloodthirsty and a little insane. He had always marveled at how cruelly efficient the fairies could be as killers, praying to anyone that would listen that he would never be on the receiving end.

"One more night." Emma's voice was soft, barely above a whisper. She looked up; brows furrowed as she gently pulled Henry closer. "One more night of something approaching normal."

Charming nodded, his gaze locked on the tired, darkly stained bags that tugged at his Grandson's eyes. "Agreed. One more night."

Etain tried to hide her disappointment, knowing her eagerness would put the Charmings and Emma off. She heard Weyland's huff of impatience, his desire matching her own for the coming trapping of prey. Only Regina's eyes gleamed with understanding. She wasn't as primed for the fight, but she too hated to put off the inevitable. Emma simply worried.

17-17-17

Etain slipped through the long marble hallways, fingertips brushing along the wall tiles, nails dipping and dragging into the grouting. She had left Weyland, Snow and Charming huddled around Henry, regaling him with stories of magic and elven lore. The young boy had taken quite a shine to fay man, and the warrior saw in him glimmers of Odelina.

Regina and Emma had retired earlier than the rest, and the elven woman tried hard not to notice how the brunette tugged the Sherriff sweetly behind her as they walked away. How happy Emma looked, how her green eyes never left the trim brunette. Most of all, Etain tried not to let the sight of them tear at her wounded heart and instead took to wandering.

She neared the end of the dim tunnel and froze as she heard voices. One was husky, low and all too familiar. There was a pause and Emma's voice, unsure and hesitant filled the confined space.  
"What's your story with Etain?"  
Regina's voice went hard. "Nothing. A past mistake, a past…cruelty."  
Hands now pressed against the cool stone, Etain flinched at Regina's words. Of course the Mayor would denounce her. The brunette's wonderfully husky voice continued. "She almost kept me from coming here, but I was always stronger."  
The blonde took a few minutes to answer. "You're not that person any more. Etain will see that. Snow did."  
Regina scoffed. "Trust me dear, I could care less what the elf thinks."

The sounds of sheets rustling filled the small space. Etain pushed away from the wall, her chest filling with hurt. She swallowed hard and decided to continue her walking. It would take her farther away from Regina, which could only be a good thing. She tried not to dwell on what Henry's mothers would be up to now…

Long limbs tangled warmly with Regina's, snug and soothing. Their makeshift bed didn't provide much protection between the marble flooring and the Mayor's exhausted body. She kept shifting, twisting, fidgeting into more comfortable positions until some part of her body went numb. Emma simply rearranged herself around the brunette, weaving around Regina as she tried to settle.

The blonde knew that worry gnawed at the Queen's mind and heart. Magic was her only weapon; one that Henry begged the brunette not to use. But after the horrors that had come flooding into his childhood home, magic was all that kept the nightmares at bay. The Mayor worried however. Worried about what dipping into her power would do, what it would reawaken in her. Yet Emma stayed near, somehow understanding Regina's incessant fear that she was but a heart beat away from darkness.

Each and every night as she would slip into sleep, Emma would wrap the older woman up in strong arms. The Savior, her Savior, would offer nothing but love. It was a simple, but sincere gift, one that Regina desperately wanted and needed. One that she had wished for since Daniel's death.

Regina flexed her fingers slowly, the digits popping as she tried to work out the stiffness. "I'm running a little low on reserves." Emma's voice answered sleepily in the darkness. "I smell a field trip."

Turning, she buried her nose in golden hair, inhaling deeply. Regina couldn't help but smile, hiding her quiet joy from the world as she burrowed in closer. Half awake, the Sherriff opened her arms, folding the brunette into every nook and curve. The Mayor curled in tightly, hands roaming gently as she followed Emma into sleep.

17-17-17

In the morning, Regina made plans to visit Storybrooke's well. She announced her plans as the small group had gathered for the meager, thrown together supplies that served as breakfast. They had finally decided to rouse Granny, Emma yanking the sickeningly long knife free with a grunt. Without the strange Wonderland creature inside her, the diner-owner had been docile and confused. She had gobbled up the majority of their remaining food, ravenous.

The Mills family now stood quietly together, Emma's head bowed close to the Mayor's lips. They spoke in hushed whispers, both mothers giving Henry reassuring, gentling touches as he stood between them. He looked less terrified in the light of day, surrounded by love and fay creatures.

With a final nod, the brunette turned to leave them. Her son's expression fractured as he pulled away from Emma. Henry clung to Regina, fear making him shiver as the brunette wrapped him up in strong, protective arms. Emma's love had shown him the best side of the once Evil Queen, reminding him of the woman that had raised them. The mother that had soothed his scrapes and cradled him in sickness. They found each other through the Sherriff's love and the Mayor loved the blonde all the more for it.

As he went back to his grandparents, Regina brushed a fleeting kiss against his dark hair. Henry helped James put away the various blankets and sheets that the Mayor had somehow magiced out of thin air. They would be leaving their bunker near mid-day, hoping that broad daylight would give them some semblance of protection.

Sheriff Swan hung back, watching her parents and son with keen eyes. Regina's fingers brushed over Emma's empty hand as the darkly colored woman walked by. With a parting squeeze, Regina left the lot to finish their plans and prepare to go home. To leave their temporary sanctuary for the uncertainty that Storybrooke would bring.

Etain's eyes trailed after her. The brunette wouldn't be safe on her own, not without a blade or source of magic behind her. Emma Swan, unfortunately, shared the elven woman's concern.


	18. Chapter 18

**CHAPTER 18**

Storybrooke's magical source stood silent against the forested backdrop. Regina had come here often in Emma's absence, recharging her power, and contemplating whatever plans were currently being hatched. Even now, the Mayor found her hands caressing the cool wet stones of the well's lip as she drew power from its deep waters. Emma was seated at her feet, back resting against those same stones.

The brunette's smile was small and sad. She would never be able to articulate to Emma how bereft she had felt when the Sheriff had disappeared down the hat. How every day had been a struggle, a fight for something more than just drawing breath. How in that moment when Emma's determined face had peeked up above the edge of the well, she had known love in its truest form.

She looked down at the golden mess of curls, fondness and love bubbling up in her throat. Her whisper was barely heard. "I love you Emma." Green eyes blinked up at her, Emma's smile crooked and charmed.

The Sheriff brought herself up to her knees, leaning, straining up to capture darkly stained lips. Shifting closer, the blonde started to unbutton the mayor's long black trench coat. The dark woman's fingers absently ran through blonde tresses and the Savior worked her way up the beautifully defined torso.

Rage sparked down her fingers and into the mythical sword she clutched painfully at her side. Nothung sputtered to life, filling the night air with darkening power as its mistress' anger flowed hotly. Without hesitation, Etain flung the sword with all her might. Her aim was true, shattering the sapling that stood between the two entwined figures. Regina and Emma flew apart, the evil queen's hands flaring with fire to defend herself and the Savior.

The mayor's eyes settled on the enraged elf standing several feet away. "Can we help you?" Etain's laugh was bitter as she tore open her borrowed shirt, revealing the jet-black veins that pulsed from her thundering heart. A deep purple thread stuttered, twisting towards the mayor. "No my Queen, I don't think you can any more." The silver haired woman flicked her hand impatiently towards the faint string tying her to Regina, waving it away in disgust.

Emma's eyes clouded with confusion, her gaze flipping between the two women. The brunette's face was contorted in an all too familiar mask of rage while Etain looked anguished. Storybrooke's Sheriff whispered unheard. "What's going on?"

18-18-18

She sat quietly looking out into the miniature apple orchid that made up her back yard. Regina had dozed lightly for a few hours, but kept fidgeting awake, shrugging off covers and Emma both. She had tried to stifle the feelings that bubbled up as she had stared at the dark magic that curled heavily from Etain's pale chest. And the elf's face had held such hurt. The elfish bonding between them had obviously curdled in the absence of love.

It made her wonder if she could ever put the Evil Queen behind her, if Henry and Emma's love would ever truly wash away all the wrongs in her past. Regina needed to see the way that they looked at her every day, loving, comforting, allowing her to forget. But dark parts of her were always swimming just beneath the surface, aching to be free. And god was it a battle, one that took so much out of her daily.

There were times were she thought she would go mad with need, the need to fight back, to hit harder and more cruelly was so strong. Emma kept her sane, kept her true to this new persona that she was trying so hard to scrape out the worst of her. But strangely, Emma loved both these good and bad bits. When Regina raged against the world, when the Evil Queen would come rushing back in all her glory, Emma would simply stand with her. She had never known such love.

Regina felt her eyes prick with hot, sad tears.

Emma hadn't uttered a word as they drove back to the Mayor's house, her body and hands tense and tight against the Mercedes' leather-clad wheel. The blonde hadn't asked what was between the two Queens, but had somehow surmised the essence of it anyway. Emma's brief interactions with Graham had been enough to give her a peek into what the Evil Queen's affections would bring.

Graham's death was another unspoken cruelty between them. Regina was too afraid to confirm Emma's suspicions, afraid to stain the fragile peace the blonde brought into her life. And it would destroy Henry to know that she had taken away the town's kind lawman, the man who had walked him home and helped to chase away his nighttime terrors.

Regina felt hot droplets splash against her bare thighs.

Warm hands moved smoothly up her naked back. Those same hands moved over her shoulders and down to lovingly cup deliciously heavy breasts. Regina sighed as Emma's touch wiped her mind blissfully clean. The brunette leaned back into the long, lean body that had risen to sit behind her. Smiling against beautifully olive skin, the blonde placed hungry kisses along the Mayor's exposed throat.

Regina's hands balled into the bed's sheets, straining as Emma's strong fingers dipped lower. Hips rose to meet the Sheriff's smooth, gentle thrust. Hot tightness captured Emma, pulling her deeper. Emma circled the smaller woman with her free arm, pulling her flush against the blonde's pale body. They moved together in slow, strong thrusts.

The once Evil Queen came with a startled gasp, groaning as the Sheriff hung on tightly. Their labored breathing filled the overly quiet bedroom until it slowed into soft murmurs. Emma nuzzled the dark hair that tickled her delicately pink lips. She could feel the continued tension in Regina's body, her own body humming with need.

And suddenly the blonde found herself on her back and trapped between lean thighs, arching, straining for contact. Regina surged forward, capturing the blonde's mouth in a hungry assault of tongue and teeth. Strong hands brought her hips in close and tight against the brunette's toned stomach, friction playing sweetly. Emma arched, her inner thighs dragging along Reina's ribs.

The brunette slid lower, hands pulling the blonde's hips to eager lips. She lapped at Emma, teasing her open with the tip of her tongue. With a short thrust, Regina filled the blonde tightly with her tongue. They moved together in slow, gentle sliding of intermingled skin. Pale fingers tangled in dark hair as the brunette's teeth skimmed Emma's clit in one long motion.

The blonde finally gave a sharp cry, muscles almost painfully tight around the hot tongue inside her. Regina simply held on, anchoring the other woman as Emma mewled softly against the subtle sounds of the night-filled house. She trailed upwards, lips planting gentle, ghost-light touches along the toned body beneath her.

Emma curled in around the brunette's body, her cheek resting on Regina's sternum. The Queen's heart had started to slow, becoming a steady, slow thrum. Reaching up, the blonde's fingers dipped easily into the brunette's heaving chest. The brunette groaned softly, somehow relaxing into the blonde's invasion. Emma held the Mayor's heart easily, as she had done so many times before, warmth flooding them both.

18-18-18

Weyland's hands ran down along the door jam, runes springing to life. Their faint glow bathed his face in a sickly blue, his pupils reflecting the light like cat eyes. Behind him, Etain crouched low into the long, leading walk up to the Mayor's mansion. The brickwork glowed brightly with interwoven, complex spirals, minuscule runes interplaying.

Tweed trench coat fluttering in the wind, she watched as Weyland continued to work, weaving and muttering as he built runes into the building's woodwork. She shrugged her shoulders as she pulled together more of her power, priming her magic before plunging it into the ground around them. Pulling Nothung from the scabbard that lay snug against the small of her back, she sunk it deeply into the brittle walkway. The hilt exploded with light, firing the silvery tones into the night sky.

After several seconds, Etain pulled the blade free, her right hand thrumming as the sword continued to hum with power. She looked around to take in their handiwork, finally satisfied that the whitewashed walls would withstand most magical attacks. The entire mansion was backlit with brilliant, pulsing runes.

Taking long strides, she walked up towards her General's busy frame. Resting her hand between his massive shoulder blades

"Will it be enough?"

"Probably not. All she has to do is wait and their patience will bring them out into the daylight."

Etain rested her forehead wearily on his broad shoulder. "I pray that it's sooner rather than later. I tire of this horrible Hunt."

Chuckling, he reached back to pat her thigh. "Soon Love, soon."


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's Note: **Warning, character death in this particular chapter. Also, graphic violence and not so nice language.

**CHAPTER 19**

And so they scattered to the four winds. Emma and Etain patrolled the streets of Storybrooke, haphazard and unlikely wardens against the encroaching darkness. Snow, James, Etain and Weyland had returned to the family's apartment. True love's magic was hoped to prove a potent defense against their unseen foe. Regina and Etain hadn't been quite so convinced of its potency, unsurprisingly, however Weyland had been insistent.

Henry, Regina and Emma wouldn't part with the Mayor's Mansion.

But Cora wasn't stupid, knowing that she could no longer touch Regina and her makeshift family in their newly reinforced hiding spaces. So she waited, waited for them to patrol Storybrooke's panicked streets. Waited for them to sneak away to find life's essentials, or merely revel in each other's company.

And that was when she struck, as dusk had started to settle like a blanket over the small town.

Emma ambled along the sidewalk, flanked by a no longer disguised Etain and an armored Weyland. The elf Queen had taken to wearing a strange hodge-podge of modern clothing and elven armor. Emma had laughed heartily as Etain had squealed in delight while pulling on her first pair of jeans. Borrowed and worn-through in parts, the elf had trampled through the mansion grunting happily as Regina had looked on in distaste. Now the small woman wouldn't part with them, simply wearing a gleaming chest plate and greaves in accompaniment on their daily patrols.

Etain, Weyland and Emma had walked Henry and Regina to Granny's, the town's Mayor desperate to give her son small bits of normalcy. Home schooling with Grandma was keeping him from day-to-day interactions with other children, while his mothers' almost constant vigilance was filling his nights with tension and stress. He had even taken to sleeping in their bedroom, his small, pre-teen body crammed between them.

And Regina worried for her little boy, her first great love in this new world. The Mayor had cajoled and begged to take Henry into town, to give him something besides fear. If Emma squinted, she could see the pair of brunettes sitting in one of the many booths that lined the interior Granny's windowed diner, heads bowed in conversation. Emma felt her eyes tear, aching to just have her family safe and whole.

The three walked slowly towards the Sheriff's office, the two women sipping in contentment on Styrofoam mugs of coffee. Weyland felt it first, the air taking on a charged, uneasy feeling. Skin prickling; he paused, turning slowly to take in the darkened windows and empty doorways around them. As he watched, a thick, falsely colored mist rolled in at the top of the street. It curled in around the edges of the street curb, twisting down the road like a slow moving river.

Without speaking, Weyland reached forward, snagging the trailing edge of Emma's blue leather jacket. She froze, cup frozen at her lips as only her eyes moved to follow his gaze. The fog had bulged upwards in the middle of the road, between the Sheriff's station and Granny's. The mass grew denser, coalescing into two standing forms.

Cora and Hook stood utterly still, backlit by the brightening streetlights.

Hook's smile was empty, heartless. Cora stood a few feet behind him, her hooded head masking most of her face, barring the cruel curl of her lips. Emma shivered while Etain looked on in grudging admiration. The elf could see where Regina had gotten her flare for an entrance. Storybrooke's Sherriff simply stared them down, anger simmering. The elves found it strangely attractive, and not for the first time, Etain understood the Savior's appeal.

The two groups stood quiet, staring each other down as the tension built. Emma moved first, dropping the cup as she reached for her gun. The coffee exploded in a wet splatter, staining the ground and elves around her. Swords and armor materialized out of thin air as magic exploded. Cora smiled serenely, reveling in the unfolding insanity around her. The Queen of Hearts seemed utterly unconcerned, much to Etain's growing irritation.

The hook gleamed, reflecting the dawning moonlight as the Captain shifted closer, catching Etain's eye. She smiled as their eyes made contact; she had found this battle's particular prey. She shivered in anticipation; he would be a delicious kill.

"I've always wanted a fairy souvenir…maybe I can skin you alive and turn you into a rather fetching rug." Hook drew his sword slowly, his smile growing.

He threw from the shoulder, his entire body bowed as he followed through on the motion. Emma's vision centered tightly to watch the sword spiral swiftly towards her chest. She staggered off to the right, her limbs awkwardly pin wheeling as she tried to keep her balance. And suddenly Etain was there, filling the shrinking space between the blonde's chest and the gleaming blade. Calm, almost serene, the elf woman lifted her hands as if to catch a lose fly ball.

The blade simply froze, hanging in the air as it continued to spiral slowly. Letting out a shaky breath, the Sheriff sagged. Etain picked it from the air delicately, smirking.

"I've seen better."

Cora's face twisted in rage, looking almost inhuman in its intensity. Screams echoed in the distance as Storybrooke's natives emptied the streets. Granny's diners crashed through her doors, streaming in panic out into the still mist-filled road. Emma craned her neck, desperate to find her family in the crushing crowd. They were the last to leave, the pair filling the small swinging doors as they stared out into the eerily still stand-off.

The Mayor's face was a mask of horror, fear making her pupils huge inside too-wide eyes. Regina's arms engulfed Henry's small shoulders as she pulled him to her tightly. Magic swallowed them whole as the Evil Queen whisked them away. Etain thought she heard Henry's screams of protest echo in the distance several seconds later. The elf smiled in grim satisfaction; the assembled were now free to rain violence on one another in earnest.

Turning back to face the pair in front of them, Etain swung cleanly, the blade never wavering as it took Hook's arm at the elbow. She raised her free hand as magic poured from her and into the overly pretty man's chest. Ribs crumpled with an audible creak. Handless, he skidded along the asphalt, his hook unable to find purchase. Light, quick steps scampered as Etain followed his mutilated body.

As he finally came to a halt, the fay stood over his battered body. Something vicious filled her eyes, darkening them beautifully. She lifted her booted foot, pressing the toe into his broken sternum. His face bulged as the pain registered sharply.

"Now, where were we?" She pressed down harder. His whimpers were choked as something dark and frothy formed on his lips. "Oh yes, I remember…you were telling me all about how you were going to skin me alive."

Emma looked away, trying to blank Hook's anguish and Etain's obvious pleasure. She should intervene, but knew she had neither the time, nor the ability. Instead, the Sheriff turned back to the now advancing Queen of Hearts. Panic prickled along her spine, and not for the first time, she had to battle the urge to flee this town's active insanity. Instead, she un-holstered her gun, her mouth forming a hard, grim line. The safety made a reassuring click as she thumbed it off.

Cora's chest suddenly flowered with several arrows, their feathered fins fluttering in the wet, rainy air. The blonde turned her head slightly, catching Snow's fluttering white coat in her peripheral vision. Something bright and light lifted her heart, and not for the first time in a number of months, she reveled in the feeling of no longer being alone. Turning back, Storybrooke's Sheriff raised her gun and emptied the clip between the strange targets her mother's arrows provided.

Regina's mother shrieked in anger, the air splitting painfully with the sound. Purple smoke erupted from the cracks and crevices within the asphalt, churning heavily towards the heavens. A now familiar, horrible clicking answered from deep beneath the ground. Emma took a step back, her throat filling sickly. She closed her eyes, unwilling to give her nightmares any more material. Eyes still closed, she ejected her gun's clip, vaguely aware of its metallic clatter as it hit the street below.

They clawed at the air, misshapen and squealing. Weyland stepped forward, leaving Etain to continue mutilating the once Pirate Captain. Emma felt the air crackle with power as he pulled together his will. The Sheriff felt something charge through her limbs, her own magic answering his call. Bright lightening flew from her and into the elf warrior's now glowing skin. His runes exploded with power and light, his power howling.

The shockwave tore the ground out from under their feet. Asphalt crumbled as the street imploded in a storm of magical mist. The chasm opened wide, tearing through Main Street and dividing the town almost in half. Emma tried not to focus too much on the fact that a twelve-foot chasm now separated her from her parents, trapping her with Cora and Hook. And two battle-hungry elves intent on carnage. Emma tried not to dwell on that last bit too much.

Someone called her name, the thin, high voice fighting against the growing blanket of noise. It was her mother's voice, shrill with alarm. The blonde bit down hard on her bottom lip, drawing blood. She wasn't sure how they had gotten here so quickly, or whether they would be a help or hindrance. The chessboard was quickly filling up with pieces.

Monsters swarmed towards Snow and Charming, the streetlights bathing them in florescent orange. Squaring her shoulders, she emptied her sidearm into the leading troll's head. It fell to its knees as Charming stepped forward. Swinging his sword like a baseball bat, he took its head at the shoulders, viscous slime sputtering from the stump.

She ejected the clip with a flick, pulling one of the many spares from her belt. Emma idly wondered how aggravated Regina would be with this month's expenditure given how expensive this outing was proving to be. The blonde smiled at the thought, knowing there would be multiple ways she could make it up to the fiscal politician.

Glancing up, she could see Snow tiring. While her mother was an amazing marksman, archery was a draining exercise. Charming hacked away, fighting back Cora's monsters as his wife's arrows continued to slow. Emma felt her heart start to jackhammer in worry. Charming's swing were also losing some of their force, the motions less coordinated as he put more of his back into the movements.

A roar, low, growling and hate-filled echoed off the now-empty buildings. The clicking monsters froze momentarily as the sound hung. Etain now stood over a recently deceased Hook, his body crumpled and wet with blood. Her eyes were wild and strangely lust-filled. She had obviously shouted in violence-soaked triumph. Weyland felt his shoulders twitch as something all too warm and arousing filled him. His Queen had taken her prey.

Etain's attention had turned to Wonderland's ruler. Cupping her left hand, mercury danced beautifully in her palm. Long, pointed slivers formed and hung in the air, turning to catch the brightening moonlight. With a sharp motion, she sent them barreling towards Cora's sneering face. Something deep and feral had taken control of Etain, brutality in every motion. Without waiting for Etain's nod, the Sheriff turned her gun on the aging Queen of Hearts.

Frowning in concentration, fog formed around her, wiping Cora from their sight.

The ricochets snapped against the ground with loud claps. Shrapnel clipped her thigh, tearing away the denim and biting into her pale skin. Emma fell to one knee with a yelp, her hand futilely covering the streaming wound. She patted her jacket pockets before producing one of Regina's embroidered handkerchiefs. The Sheriff stuffed the pale blue cotton into her jeans, lining the hole in her leg with linen.

Cora continued to advance, their assault doing little to stop her. Emma tried to gather her untrained magic around her, forming a misshapen bubble around herself. Not for the first time in the past several minutes, Storybrooke's Sherriff wished the Mayor was there. The blonde was punching far above her weight class, and her allies were proving to be either this side of insane, or weak.

Regina appeared between them in a swirl of purple, her trademark trench coat replaced with slim-fitting, functional elven armor. Gloved hands rose just as Cora let out a blast of power, shattering the Savior's defenses. But Emma had been shoved aside with invisible force, her body flailing as she fell into a heap. And instead of the blast crippling Storybrooke's Sherriff, it hit Cora's daughter squarely.

Something all too warm landed on the back of her head as she sat crouched on her knees. It ran slowly down the nape of her neck to pool thickly in the top of her leather jacket. Emma stifled the urge to turn, knowing that only horror waited. Instead she pushed back harder, willing Cora to stay away. The barrier crackled, sparking white as Cora's magic collided.

Etain felt more than saw Regina fall as something sharp tugged at her heart. She threw herself forward, tumbling away from Emma's protective walls. For the second time in days, open space gobbled her up hungrily. Seconds ticked by as wind whistled by her elegantly pointed ears. Droplets of blood trailed from the Mayor's body, staining the elf's pale cheeks and streaking into golden irises.

She finally caught up with the wildly spinning Regina after several long seconds. The brunette's body was curled in tightly against the gaping wound in her throat. Etain felt her magic pour forth, engulfing the brunette in soothing relief. The bleeding stopped as the mangled flesh in front of her started to knit back together. But the ground was fast approaching and Etain's heart rate soared in sickened knowledge that the next few minutes would be hell.

Cursing, she tangled their limbs securely, turning them sharply. They landed with such force that Regina's consciousness was snuffed out entirely, leaving Etain covered in dead weight and awash in agony. She coughed thickly. Fear stabbed at her as she lay there staring up into the brunette's too-still features. Her mouth tasted of blood, coppery and sweet. Breathing hurt, each breath bringing with it something sharp and crackling.

Darkness nibbled at the periphery. Etain smiled; death was becoming a comforting acquaintance. She pulled Regina closer; knowing at least the warmth of another body would bring the brunette some small comfort. Unconsciously, she kissed the Mayor's dust-stained hair, smiling sadly into the dark strands. She tried not to dwell on how her senses continued to dull, inky blackness pulling at her eyes.

Long minutes passed as Etain's breathing slowed.

It took several seconds for her to register the new sensation, her mind sluggish. A clawed thumb trailed over her brow, magic flowing into the blood soaked skin. Her general had come to salvage the end product of her reckless nature. She tried to speak, but her tortured chest couldn't take in the air needed. Instead, Etain hummed her thanks, reveling in Weyland's familiar magic.

She tiled her head back to look at the kneeling, winged soldier. His eyes were solemn and filled with such sadness that the Queen felt her heart stutter. He wasn't looking at her, instead staring at the too-still Mayor Etain had bundled in close against her chest.

"Always her?"

Etain closed her eyes against his obvious agony as she answered weakly.  
"Always."

Strong arms gathered her up as Etain's ears roared with the sound of massive, beating wings. The broken asphalt flew past her field of vision as she continued to cradle the broken Mayor close. It took several seconds for them reach open air, for them to break free of the darkness. Weyland arched high into the sky, wind buffeting the small group sweetly.

Cora's gaze followed them, her mouth sneering. Magic poured form her in waves, buffeted the soaring elf. Etain startled to shift the Mayor's body, loosening her grip on the brunette in order to pass her over to the scowling General.

"Keep her with you. I need her free of this Hunt."

She dropped away from him, watching as he continued to careen away into the starry night. Etain gave a last, parting glance as she watched the pair twined together as she continued to plummet. A few feet before landing face first into the top of Sherriff's patrol car, she pushed forward her will. Curling, she brought her feet forward, landing cleanly.

Weyland watched Etain for several seconds before looking down into the Mayor's still, beautiful face. His mouth contorted in disgust as his hands starting to unravel themselves from Regina's fluttering jacket. He wanted nothing more than to simply let her go, to see her fall away. To let her die in a marvelous heap of blood and muscle. For longer than was wise, he seriously contemplated it.

Instead, the pair landed atop Granny's diner. His large, clawed hands pulled apart her jacket to reveal the bloody mess of Regina's chest. Weyland reached into her, his fingers disappearing into her lungs as his magic started to knit her back together. His knuckles brushed her heart as he moved, and without warning, he was flooded with memories. Her memories. Weyland was enthralled, his magic pouring into the human woman as they lay hunched together.

Sadness ripped at him as he relived Regina's broken childhood. Horror at the death of Daniel, at the sheer hatred she felt for her mother. The confusion at Snow's betrayal and the insanity that started to nibble away at her mind. Anger seeped into his heart as Leopold took her on their wedding night. Gentle, yet agonizing in his insistence. His mercury tears started to form tiny mercury rivers along the Mayor's tightly fitted and broken breastplate.

The memory of their long-fought battle was flying towards them, Weyland's heart racing as Regina's mind replayed the chaos. Etain blood covered face filled his mind's eye, her face contorted in terror. Seconds later her face was twisted in something wholly different, something bright and burning flowing between her and Regina.

His concentration shattered and Regina's hands flew up to grip his wrists roughly. Blinking rapidly, he looked down into the human's bloodshot eyes. They sat frozen, his hands buried deep within her chest, magic still weaving within her, as Regina watched him wearily.

Meanwhile, Etain was sprinting, careening towards Emma. Cora was advancing once more, somehow drawing forth power from the streetlights that dotted the quiet town. The blonde Sherriff was hiding behind an upturned Nissan truck, her body folding into one of the large wheel wells. Snow and James lay huddled inside the doorway to the Sherriff's office, something bright and red blossoming from Charming's plaid shirt.

Debris rained down as the elf tried to desperately dodge Cora and the random bits of Storybrooke the battle had blown apart. Etain tried to slide in behind the truck alongside Snow's daughter, only to have her jeans snag against one of the many random chunks of metal that littered the street. Panic flared as something bright and flaming landed inches away from Etain's face. She flinched away, eyes burning painfully against the sudden, fiery light.

Strong hands clamped down on her booted feet, pulling her the rest of the way. Skin and clothing scraped away as she was dragged over broken glass and asphalt. Etain sat up weakly, curling in against the Nissan's undercarriage with Emma's lanky frame. The Sheriff peered through a gap between the frame and the bumper, while using the truck to shield the rest of her body. She didn't turn to look at the elf as she spoke.

"You saved her."

Etain stared hard into the back of Emma's head, trying to discern her tone.

"No, Weyland saved us both."

Emma's shoulders slumped slightly, some unseen burden sliding away.  
"Any ideas, or are we just going to sit here and wait for Cora to kill us?"

The Fay drew her sword, the sound finally forcing the blonde to turn around and face the crouching elf.

"How untrained is your magic?"

"I can't do very much without Regina's help. She focuses me somehow."

Etain nodded. "We can probably work with that."

The elf eased herself between the blonde and the overturned car. She took a deep, steadying breath before plunging the sword deeply into the ground, once more using it to draw magic from deep within the earth.

it was jarring. Power flowed from her in shockwaves of silvery light, but a part of her knew that it would not be enough. Cora batted the blast away, stepping forward and into the chasm between them. Instead of falling, she merely stood atop the air as if it were solid. Dread settled deep within Etain's chest. Death and defeat were fast approaching.

Emma slid closer, resting her battered hands against the elf's armored shoulders. The effect was immediate. The Savior's magic tore through her, amplifying her own earthen power in a way she had never seen before. And it hurt. She felt as though her head would burst open as her very arms would tear themselves away. It was an intoxicating agony. She reached up, entwining their fingers.

Cora finally staggered back, her magic disrupted as she fought to cross the open air. Silvery fire churned, licking at the old woman's limbs. Ash started to form on her skin as the magical heat started to burn through her defenses. Regina's mother stumbled, dropped several feet into the chasm before finding her invisible footing.

Etain pushed harder and suddenly her heart blossomed with a deep, swirling purple. Her magic followed the feeble thread to Regina, drinking in still more power. The elf tried to fight against this new source, desperate to keep from taking what little strength the Mayor had left. Through the brunette, she felt Weyland. He was keeping her alive, barely.

But the sword needed more, and so did she. She drank deeply from them both, her body serving as a conduit for all four of their magic twining to form something massive and awe-inspiring. It would have been a beautiful spectrum og color to anyone looking. And Etain threw all of it at Cora; every last bit of the elf was thrown at the now staggering woman.

The pain had gone beyond understanding. Her hands were on fire, the flames burning white against the weak night air. She was only vaguely aware of Emma's hands, of the pain they brought as well. Instead, all Etain could see and feel was the magic she was firing into the Queen of Hearts.

Until finally, Cora fell.

There was no dramatic scream, no explosion of light or sound. She was simply gone, gobbled up by the broken earth under her feet. Emma's let go of the smaller woman, her hands unclenching painfully as her forearms screamed. The Fay dropped to her side, curling in around her blackened hands. Her pained gasps could barely be heard.

Weyland's hands slid free, a deep, bone aching weariness pulling at his limbs. His magic hadn't been enough; it had been far from enough. He had felt Etain slither in, robbing them both of life and magic. And ultimately, robbed him of his ability to save Henry's mother. He bundled the brunette close to his shivering chest, imparting what little warmth he could into her cooling body.

Emma sat utterly still, staring into the empty space that had gulped Cora whole. She wanted to help Etain, but she had nothing left to give. She felt empty; as if the world had finally taken everything she had left to give. Etain had become quiet and still. The blonde should be worried, but something else tugged at her thoughts. She hadn't seen Regina in these final moments and the absence was starting to plant seeds of worry.

It felt like hours passed in this limbo. Emma felt her mind wander as her body ached. This was easier than taking in the blood and chaos around her.

Suddenly, Weyland was crouched in front of her. She looked up into his tear filled eyes as he held something small and limp out to her. Something that had never seemed so small in life. Emma couldn't take in the dark, mussed hair, or the slack features. The deep brown eyes that shouldn't be so empty.

Something beside her made a soft, stricken sound. Etain had somehow lifted herself onto her knees, her face a mask of grief. Unconsciously, the small woman tried to reach forward with ruined hands. Weyland's eyes never left Emma's. He simply held the brunette out towards the Sheriff, patient, waiting.

The blonde pulled Regina free of him. Her lips brushed a cool forehead. Then dark, shuttered eyelashes. Finally, her lips found the single, short scar that made the Queen's mouth quirk in that wonderful way the blonde found so endearing. And then her world exploded in light. Something large and luminous blossomed at her chest, a thick, braided thread spooled tightly before slamming into the Mayor's own, still ribs.

The Mayor came awake with a deep, painful cough. Her agony was evident, and Emma's magic burned brighter. Regina's face was a well-trained mask, hiding away her many pains, yet her eyes danced with something quietly loving. The mayor simply allowed herself to be held.

Emma's smile was watery and warm. Relief made the fay's knees weak and she sat down shakily. She watched as the blonde cradled the Mayor, shielding her subtly from the death around them. Regina raised her hand to gently cup Emma's tear-stained cheek, whispering into golden hair. Something sweet and comforting passed between them and Etain felt a strange mixture of jealousy and admiration fill her chest.

The elf felt the sudden weight of Weyland's hand resting between her shoulder blades, soothing and eerily still. Magic poured from him, further knitting broken ribs and bloodied skin. Etain let out a shaking, pained breath. Finally taking a deep, full breath, her lungs filled blissfully. She couldn't turn to look at him, couldn't bear to see the dejection in his eyes.

Instead she stood, her legs wobbling weakly. She walked away from them and into the unnaturally still night.


	20. Chapter 20

**CHAPTER 20**

Days had passed since that final, heart-breaking battle. Regina hadn't seen her mother fall, but had taken the task of finding her body. The chasm was fearfully devoid of any trace of Cora. They decided as a group to keep this from the townspeople, knowing that only the Queen of Heart's death would bring peace to their isolated town.

As Regina tried to find any trace of her mother, Snow and Charming tried to stitch the broken town back together. They could rally the townspeople, but they would need the Mayor to organize the actual rebuilding. For all her misdeeds, Regina had run always excelled at administration.

Through it all, Etain had fought to keep her distance. To let the Storybrooke natives go on and live their lives. She helped Emma flush out the rest of Cora's Wonderland horrors, killing and deconstructing any and all creatures they came into contact with. She had even, albeit hesitantly, helped the Sheriff go and collect Rumple from his filthy safe haven. It was hard work, and served to take her mind off Regina, if only briefly.

But she had to know. Had to finish what she and the Evil Queen had started all those years ago. And try as she might, she knew that Henry would provide the answer. He would somehow know intrinsically if the love Regina had for Emma was false. He had seen the falsehood that had been Storybrooke from the beginning. And he would know if this was a lie as well.

So the Fay Queen stalked the young boy. Quietly watching him as Henry's life slowly, so slowly tried to return back to normal. And she waited. Waited for him to shrug away their protectiveness. She didn't have to wait long. Henry was a Charming after all, prone to adventure and ignoring the common sense present in the rest of mankind.

The school bus pulled up slowly, its occupants strangely quiet. Instead of the bustling insanity that only children can bring, they filed out of the bus slowly, fearfully. Their eyes scanned the broken sidewalks wearily. Parents bustled forward, wrapping their children up in the protective shelter of their arms.

Henry had asked to walk himself home this afternoon, suffocating with the constant worrying around him. The fay made sure to exit Granny's just as he passed, sliding into his path easily. Her heart tugged painfully as his face lit up, his deep brown eyes dancing happily at the sight of her. Regina's son had taken to her and Weyland instantly, putting them firmly in the 'good' category.

She listened as he yammered away and fought against the urge to snap her fingers at the boy impatiently. She needed Henry to hurry; she could only steal so much time with the boy before he would be missed. His walk home was perfectly timed by his dark-haired mother. As they rounded the corner, she dropped down to crouch in front of the suddenly fearful child.

She closed her eyes tightly. Regina had always brought out the worst in her. Cradling Henry's small rosy cheeks, she whispered to him softly. Etain felt her magic seep into his willing skin, the fay part of him drinking it in.

"Tell me about your mother. Does she love the Queen Witch?" Henry's eyes turned dreamy and glazed. The Fay were always eager and very willing to serve their rulers. It brought them unnatural joy that Etain had never understood.

"Yes. My mother's love will save us." His joy was palpable. Golden eyes blinked rapidly, fighting back tears. Henry believed utterly in the love between his parents. A love that had already started to bring together the cursed community that was Storybrooke, a love that was actually turning Regina into a human being.

Pressing her forehead to the small boy's, she released his mind. He looked up at her in confusion, his brow wrinkled as he stared at her. "I felt you. I couldn't stop myself, I just wanted to make you happy and….and…" Etain shushed him gently. "I had to Henry. I needed to know that I have no place here."

She straightened his lopsided jacket, resettling his backpack on narrow shoulders. "Don't worry yourself Henry. I'll help your grandparents however I can, and then I'll disappear back to where I came from."

Etain stood up stiffly, the long days pulling at her tired body. She tried to smile reassuringly, hiding the hurt that filled her chest. The deep affection she had for her people bubbled up inside her, making her hands overly gentle against Henry's tussled hair. "I'm sorry if I scared you. I could never hurt you my brave prince."

He smiled awkwardly at her, unsure what had passed between them, but forgiving and trusting her instantly. She watched as he scampered away, dodging and sprinting towards home. Etain turned away, knowing that Emma would be exiting the Sherriff's station to meet her son. To wrap him up in love before handing him off to his beautifully tailored mother.

The Fay Queen fought back tears. She had used one of her own People, for no other purpose than to confirm what she already knew. Regina had found love. And not just any love, True Love. Snow's daughter had used it to save the Mayor, just as Emma had used it to save their son.

She made it within feet of Granny's diner before she heard Emma's stomping run. Brow crinkling in confusion, Etain turned to watch the blonde come barreling towards her. Her face was filled with indignant rage and the fay knew instantly that Henry had tried to convey to Emma what had transpired between them. She wondered vaguely if he had told his blonde mother what exactly the Queen had asked him.

The Sheriff tried to tower over the elf, putting the extra few inches to good use. "You do not get to Jedi my son! Mind control, or whatever the hell you call that, is not something you will ever do to him again!"

Something hard and angry flared. The Queen spun, sneering up into green-eyed rage. "I can do what I please. Your son is one of the Fay and that makes him little more than my property. I can take his free will, his life, or his very soul if I ever choose to. Instead, I asked a simple question. One that is none of your concern any longer." Etain clenched her jaw shut, cutting off the rest of her tirade.

Turning on a booted heel, the silver-haired beauty dropped her hand from Granny's door and started towards the Mayor's residence. Emma's voice rang out angrily, her rage robbing her of common sense. She spun the elf by her shoulder roughly to once again face the raging Sheriff.

The shorter woman yanked the blonde closer, her breath sweet and hot against Emma's face. Silver fire illuminated her golden eyes. "Touch me again and I will have your life."

Shoving the human woman away sharply, she turned away once more. As Etain rounded the corner, the blonde tried to once again capture the seething woman's arm. "Stop! Where are you going?"

Etain went eerily still, eyes brimming with too much emotion. "I'll never be free of her. I need to be free, to know something more than just her."

The blonde blinked rapidly, suddenly sick with understanding. It had taken her far too long to put all the pieces together; to understand that the dark, festering flower that had blossomed against Etain's chest that night at the well was a cruel twin of her own True Love. Regina hadn't taken Etain's courage; she had taken her very soul.

The Savior's parents came sprinting up the street, Charming having caught sight of the escalating fight from within the town's animal shelter. Strong hands tugged desperately at her short jacket. Etain turned on James, snarling through tears. "Go. Away. Don't make me harm you, I don't want to raise my hand to any of you." She turned back to face the top of the street, glimpsing the white trestle top of the mayor's house. "Not your family anyway."

Sadness pulled at Emma's downturned mouth as her voice roughened. "We can't let you go."

"You don't have a choice." Lifting a finely boned hand, the fairy queen flung Charming into the building beside them, the brickwork exploded underneath his crumpled body. Etain groaned softly, lifting her hands to trembling lips. "I'm so sorry James, I have to. I have to save my daughter. And myself."

Without glancing back, the small woman bolted. Her booted feet pounded into the asphalt, carrying her away from her only friends. She didn't know what she'd do to the Evil Queen, didn't know what tactics would be needed to finally divest herself of her need. It wouldn't matter in the end, even death would be a strange sort of release.

Regina stood waiting for her on the house's front steps. The witch had felt the enraged fay woman come for her clear across town. Dark eyes watched intently as the achingly beautiful fairy stormed down the paved path, desperation written all over the small body. The mayor smiled brightly, her tone dripping with false derision.

"Something I can help you with Your Majesty?"

Placing her hand on the mayor's chest, Etain pushed her firmly through the open front door. "Inside. We're done playing this game."

Once inside, the former mayor lead them through into her impeccably decorated sitting room. The stark white and black décor reminded the elf of the Evil Queen's former stronghold. She felt an instant chill, realizing that once again she had walked into a rather intricate trap. Regina stopped, turning suddenly, her smile showing far too many teeth.

"I'm leaving and I don't ever want to lay eyes on you again."

Regina froze, and for a brief moment, Etain could see the deep hurt the brunette tried so hard to hide. Abandonment, whether through violence or random acts of carelessness, had been the over-arching theme to Regina's life. And now Etain was clawing through each and every one of her defenses through the simple act of leaving.

Something old and cruel slithered into place. Regina had always been quick to use this dark source of rage to defend herself against life's hurts. It was always blissfully blinding and all-around intoxicating to lose herself in. The Mayor gave in without giving it a second thought, the loss of humanity a reflex born of necessity.

The brunette reached down to trace the open curve of the smaller woman's V-neck shirt. Her fingers paused for a fraction of a second over the puckered, scarred skin just below a delicate collarbone. "I remember the last time you and I had a disagreement." Regina's smile grew hungry. "I still dream of the taste of your blood on my fingers."

Pale hands came up to gently halt the mayor's exploration. "And unlike last time, it's my turn to leave. Emma is… good for you. She gave you Henry, and he's beautiful. She makes you act like an actual human being, which is a fucking miracle." The brunette's face was unreadable.

"And what makes you think I'll be so quick to let you walk away from me?" The tips of Regina's fingers slowly slithered into Etain's already flushed chest. Pleasure pulsed, drowning out the accompanying pain easily. The Mayor's voice dipped to a husk. "You forget who you belong to."

The taller woman's fingers plunged deeper into shimmering skin, brushing against the fairy's panicking heart. Etain smiled in sweet agony. "I haven't forgotten, I just know you stopped loving me the second you laid eyes on Snow's daughter." Golden eyes searched brown. "Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me you don't love her with everything you happen to have left in that dark heart."

Regina's mouth turned cruel. "Is that what you want from me? Love?" Blood red lips brushed over a pale temple. "Isn't there something so much sweeter that I can offer you?" Etain felt need pool deliciously. She had only ever known the dark queen's touch, and her ache for the brunette was constant. "No, Regina. That's not yours to give any more."

The brunette's fingers curled downward, skin separating cleanly beneath their tips. Regina was now touching the quivering muscle that pulsed beneath the Queen's delicate sternum. "I will always live here. And I can take this whenever I choose."

Etain reached up to cup the brunette's clammy face, bracing herself for the rage she knew was about to come. "I know, but one day, I'll rip this accursed thing from my chest like your mother did yours."

The mayor's face drained of emotion, the beautiful features smoothing into a lifeless mask. "I do not love you. Isn't that what you're fishing for little fairy?"

Golden eyes slowly suddenly brimmed with silver. "Say it again." Etain's voice cracked desperately. "Say it again!"

A rough, hot tongue trailed up the elf's cheek, capturing sweetly tasting tears. "I do not love you."

The elf queen felt her heart falter as the bond between them tore and broke completely. She staggered away from the impeccably dressed mayor, ripping away the hand that lay inside her ruined chest. The elf's vision tilted at an odd angle, forcing her to clutch at the marbled table next to them. The fay woman could no longer keep to her feet, allowing herself to sink to the plush carpet.

Resting her weight on an unsteady arm, Etain tried to pull together the remnants of her magic. She needed to flee, to regroup back in the warm embrace of the fay kingdoms. She tried to force down the rising panic, a part of her knowing that Regina would always be the one to take her life.

A portal flickered to life weakly in front of the dying Queen. Regina watched passively, gazing down at the wounded woman's efforts with a conflicted inability to intervene. She wanted to reach out, to mend…while another, jealous part of her wanted to revel in the broken woman's last few breaths.

In a blink, the elf was no longer alone. A child stood in front of the sputtering vortex. The olive skinned girl looked to be about seven or eight, her fragile-looking limbs making her age hard to pin down. She was dressed in the gleaming white colors that denoted her royal rank, yet her skin was far too dark, as were her fearful eyes.

Regina's lips parted in shocked recognition as the girl reached forward to engulf the kneeling fairy in a purple, churning haze. Etain snatched the beautiful child close, burying her nose in dark curls as the portal grew hungrily. The two disappeared, leaving the faint scent of frosted pine in their wake.

The once Evil Queen sat down heavily, curling forward to hug herself tightly. Heavy, deep sobs filled the overly empty mansion.


	21. Chapter 21

**CHAPTER 21**

Meanwhile, in Snow and Charming's Apartment…

His voice was a rough whisper as his stricken ribs tugged against his lungs. "What did she mean about needing to protect her daughter? We could never harm a child. Etain should know this; we have nothing but love for her and her family."

The huge fairy shrugged his leather wrapped shoulders in confusion. "I don't understand it myself Prince James. I can only assume she does not yet trust your mayor's return to the light. The child is seen as weaker than most, because of what she is. But she has very powerful magic, more powerful than she should."

Snow paused in her task of wrapping up James' bruised chest. She looked up at handsomely dark fay quizzically. "I don't understand. Is the child sick? Has something happened?"

The General canted his head in thought, trying to put into words the wondrous miracle his Queen had given birth to. "Odelina is a Halfling. The girl is beautiful, but her coloring marks her as partially non-elfish. Not enough time has passed for us to really know the extent of the princess' power." He paused, sensing their continued confusion. "Time works strangely between our world and this one. It's been less than ten of our years since you left, but almost thirty for you. Her Majesty tried to explain it to me once, something about the edges of this world being ragged, not fitting with ours quite right. Bubbles of time are what she called it."

Snow's eyes closed tightly as understanding slowly dawned; despair swirling. Her daughter had voiced her suspicions before, but she had refused to give them credence. Emma's voice hitched with emotion. "Can you describe her to me?"

Weyland smiled, unaware of the human drama unfolding before him. "Of course. Her magic is strong, but very unlike the Queen's. Its purple, dark and rich in color, like the girl herself. Her eyes are the darkest shades of brown I have ever seen in any elven girl."

James was clueless, but curious. "Who is the father?"

The large elf shrugged. "No one knows. The Queen has never named her consort, so rumor abounds within the kingdoms. It matters not however. Odelina is heir and is the best of all of us. She is kind to a fault, and so full of love for each and every one of her People that she engenders adoration wherever she goes."

Suddenly his head snapped sharply to the right as if a distant sound had startled him. He felt the portal being torn open into this world, and the sudden presence of Etain's child. Odelina's magic flared brightly, vibrantly filling the air throughout this horrible kingdom. With a frightened growl, Weyland disappeared in a blanket of green.

21-21-21

Disturbed leaves rained down on the pair as Odelina held onto her mother tightly. Distantly, the small girl heard something crashing through the unnaturally quiet trees circling them. She should ready her defensive magic to try and protect herself against this possible enemy. But her training had never prepared her for the sight of her ruined mother and monarch.

His powerful legs pumping, Weyland tore through forest's underbrush. He smelled blood and the princess' tears. He cursed himself for leaving the Queen's side, knowing that without him, she would be woefully unprotected. Her feelings for Snow had always clouded her judgment. As he finally entered the disturbed clearing, his senses were filled with Odelina's obvious heartache.

The Queen lay completely still. The battered soldier slid closer, his breath hitching. Turning, her daughter reached out with bloodied hands for the gray skinned general. He gathered the trembling girl up tightly, tucking her securely under his heavy chin. Hiding away Odelina's eyes, he reached out his left hand to place it hesitantly on the fallen woman's blood dampened chest.

His fingers slowly pulled aside her borrowed leather jacket, revealing the old wound that had been so cruelly reopened. Flesh hung loosely, ragged and red.

21-21-21

She was dimly aware of Emma's voice. And copper. Well, that was probably more down to the wide pools of blood that drenched her marble floors, and the carpets, and oddly, the ceiling. Impressive in its own way, but looking at it was starting to make her stomach roll. Regina had never been one to shy away from her own handiwork, but her mind kept replaying the last few minutes in all their horrible detail.

The Sheriff's hands were now fluttering soothingly over the Mayor's hunched body. Her once immaculate study now resembled a CSI scene and the blonde must be worried. Wrongly worried for her. Warmth at the thought battled against her ice-cold chest. Snow's accusing tones nibbled at her still churning thoughts. Henry's grandmother would jump to conclusions.

But Regina couldn't spare a thought for any of them; she was too wrapped up in the tiny girl that had gaped at her. Her little girl if she had read the features correctly. For all her evil deeds, Henry had never looked at her that way. He had always, somehow, seen the good in her. Emma had followed closely behind. And she had tried so damn hard to live up to their insane expectations.

All that work, undone in a single afternoon. Resentment fought with her newfound guilt. Snow was starting to hit an octave only small dogs could hear and it was starting to annoy. Sheriff Swan had taken to wrapping her up in strong, vanilla scented arms, to her mother's blossoming outrage. She fought the need and habit to simply let herself wander away in Emma's embrace.

She needed to fix this. Not for the first time, Regina wished desperately to undue a rash, cruel action. As the Evil Queen she would have reveled in the crimson stained carpets, clapping her hands in delight as she spun to take in the blood drenched room. Carnage for the sake of it had been one of her darker, more pleasurable past times.

She gently shrugged off Emma's arms, standing in one fluid motion. Her eyes met Snow's, understanding passing between them as she tried to shush Emma's soothing words.

"I did this." Her eyes stayed locked on Snow, unable to turn and look at the blonde's crumbling face. "Some habits die hard I'm afraid. She came here to confront me, and…" Regina's gaze dropped to her own clenched fingers. "I don't take confrontation well."

She finally allowed Emma to touch her, to pull her into a loose embrace. "But I'm going to fix it. I need to fix it." She turned to finally look at her Savior. "Tell Henry I love him." Regina leaned closer to brush her lips against Emma's flushed cheek, whispering; "And I love you."

Leaning down, she dipped her fingers into cooling crimson. She stopped herself as brought the digits to her lips. Tasting was a treat she couldn't allow herself any more. A pity, her elf had always been the sweetest of wines. Instead, she poured her will into the task of pulling apart the little girl's portal.

Etain's blood had allowed her to tunnel her way into the land of fairy before, it would do so again.

21-21-21

Days had passed with the Fay Queen slipping slowly away as infection clawed at her bones. Darkened veins blossomed from the heavily bandaged hole that cratered her chest. And there was pain. It had started sharp, with teeth sunk deeply into her ribs, but it had now soothed itself into a thudding blanket of hurt. It was weirdly comforting as it signaled that death hadn't found her quite yet.

Fever sent her awash in odd hallucinations and fairytales of her own. Her father made frequent visits, but never looking quite as she remembered him. Haggard and weak, he whispered accusations of ineptitude. She begged forgiveness, rasping apologies for battles lost and allowing misplaced love to fell her.

And now, the Evil Queen sat perched on the edge of her bed looking at her with moist eyes and sickly pale skin. Etain wanted to kick away the foul creature, a part of her preferring her dead father's ghost. The dark beauty leaned closer, sidling up and over the sick Queen's shivering body.

Regina's hands were blissfully cold against her fevered skin. Blinking back guilty tears, the former queen whispered against silvered hair. "I am _so_ _sorry_. I'm trying so hard to be better. For Emma and Henry and…whatever I've left behind."

Etain shoved weakly at the witch as olive fingers pulled open the elf's sticking tunic. Dark red veins spread from the half-healed hole that sat above the fay Queen's heart. Soft lips kissed the wound gently, her breath frosting against the flushed, too warm skin. Etain whimpered in relief as the infected heat started to subside.

"What do you love my dear?"

Cracked lips parted painfully.

"You."

Brushing damp strands of hair that clung to Etain's crimson cheeks, Regina swallowed against her tightening throat.

"What else do you love? What else brings you strength?"

Golden eyes opened weakly to stare at the open landscape that lay nestled outside her large bay window. The same window she had stared out so many years ago the night Regina had visited her once before…

"The land. The smell of the autumn leaves that greet me in the cooler months. Hot grass under my bare feet, and too warm water as I swim in our lakes." The Evil Queen felt the small woman's body finally take in some of the magic she offered. Closing her eyes in concentration, the Mayor rested her forehead against Etain's own.

"My father once told me that our family was made from the very earth. The gods had created the fay from the stars, each one unique and full of light. But they were always lost in the clouds, their dreams taking their minds from the needs of every day life."

Sadness tugged at Etain's eyes, dimming their brilliance as the young woman remembered the nightly stories her father would sing to her at night. As with most of the elfish stories, their family history was told only in the rhythms of song.

"They started to fade and falter until the gods looked upon them and realized mythical creatures needed someone to care for and love them. And so my family was made to serve the fay and fairies of this world. The gods dipped into the rivers, crops, stone, and air that made up our nation to create us. We would serve as the grounding the elves needed."

A thinning hand clasped Regina's tightly.

"And Odelina is part of that land, part of me. But she is also part of you. I look at her and see what you must have been…before. I will spend all the rest of my days protecting her from you."

Regina tried hard to keep from flinching.

"Then you must protect her from more than just me. My mother will look to corrupt her utterly the second she finds out about Odelina's existence." The Evil Queen gathered the smaller hands to her chest. "Our child will be powerful, too powerful for the likes of my mother. Keep her here, keep her from Storybrooke entirely."

Etain nodded weakly, sweat trickling, pooling into the hollow of her throat. "I promise. But some day she'll come looking for you. I cannot contain her curiosity."

The Mayor's eyes dropped to the bedspread. "She won't come looking, all she'll remember is the monster that tried to kill her mother."

"All the more reason for my little girl to come calling."

She hated herself, but Etain couldn't help but feel sorry for the former monarch. Pulling the brunette closer, she placed a chaste kiss on ruby colored lips. "But I think your Emma has slain that particular horror."

Regina merely nodded before crawling into bed beside the sickly Queen. She tucked the small woman in against her chest, purple magic continuing to creep soothingly into Etain's weakened body. The elf was too weak to push the human woman away, too weak not to take what was offered. In minutes, she was asleep, her silvered head cupped gently by the brunette's long fingers.

And once more, in the morning, Regina was gone.


	22. Chapter 22

**CHAPTER 22**

The smell of pine hung heavy as Regina walked slowly up the pine saw covered driveway. Sap forced stray bits of crisp needles to stick to the Mayor's designer boots, giving the brunette the sensation of walking on slippery grit. The house itself seemed whole again, the clinging debris and carnage having been swept away by some unseen hand.

She walked idly up the polished stone steps, careful to avoid stepping in the piles of potting soil that dotted the front porch. Terracotta shards and red speckled dust stood swept up in a large, wide pile. Belle was obviously tidying up the various plants and flowers that had been damaged during Cora's recent visit. But the young woman was nowhere in sight.

Coming to the darkly painted door, Regina thumbed the doorbell firmly. Chimes echoed in response, followed by eerie silence. She stood there for several seconds, waiting and unsure. The door opened with a deep, shuddering pop to reveal a long, empty entryway. Pursing her lips unhappily, the brunette crossed the threshold hesitantly. Rumple always liked to unsettle his guests whenever possible.

It took her several seconds to notice that the wards were gone and that the need to vomit was wonderfully absent. She pulled forward her magic, just to be sure, and was pleasantly surprised when the dark energy answered her call. While she would try valiantly to keep her promise to Henry, keeping herself out of harms way when dealing with Rumple was an acknowledged exception.

The Mayor slithered through the doorway, unwilling to touch any part of the imp's tidy house. Her heels clicked loudly in the achingly empty space. Regina tried not to flinch with each percussive sound.

He sat with his eyes closed, bathing in the afternoon sun like a lazy housecat. A porcelain tea set sat beside him, steam clinging to the teapot. Regina caught the faint scent of honey and floral perfume. Not waiting to be invited in, the Mayor walked quietly into the newly cleaned sitting room. She wondered if he had scrubbed the walls himself with magic, or hired some poor group of townspeople to do it for him.

Without opening his eyes, Gold hummed a quiet hello. "What brings you to my humble home so late in the day dearie?"

"I need to speak to you about, well, love of all things."

He turned his head slowly towards her, his gaze equal parts tired and untrusting. She tried not to fidget under his watchful stare. Regina hated to come here, to ask him this, but she had no other avenue for information. And to speak with him on this topic was loathsome in more ways than one.

"What could I possibly impart to you on that subject?"

Brown eyes rolled heavenward. "I need information on the magical concept, not dating advice."

He turned away, a smirk ghosting across his sleepy face.

"Why not. I'm not going anywhere any time soon and I'm sure Belle is ready to throttle me at this point."

Hooking his cane under the legs of the nearest overstuffed chair, he pulled it to him, settling it comfortably beside him. Rumple motioned the Mayor to sit with a flourish of his hand, the movement more a command than a suggestion. Regina sat stiffly, back ramrod straight as she settled her hands daintily into her lap.

"I need to understand how True Love works. I know there are differing forms of True Love. Emma used it to wake Henry, and Charming used it to wake Snow. But even within those varying types, can there be…" She flicked her hair back impatiently as she tried to articulate her question. "Can I find love more than once?"

Rumple reached over to take one of the warm cups of tea, his long fingers trailing along the pristine white surface. He took a long, contemplative sip, his eyes catching the fading sunlight, setting them ablaze with golden light. The Queen looked away, her skin visibly crawling.

"Who are you?"

Regina blinked at him in confusion, her face clearly articulating her sudden insecurity regarding the imp's sanity. Gold gave a deep, annoyed huff.

"If I had asked you who you were when you first met Daniel, what would your answer have been?"

The brunette's face turned stony, her mouth twitching, pulling the scar tight in emotion. "The daughter of Cora and Henry."

Rumple nodded his acceptance of the response. "And when you were taken as Leopold's bride?"

Silence filled the brightly sun-stained room. Gold's voice became strangely soft. "How about when you ruled over your late husband's kingdom? Or when you brought us all here to this world without magic?"

He leaned forward, his unshaven face inches from the olive skinned beauty. "What about _now_?"

She blinked rapidly, her thoughts a jumble of past deeds and future ambitions. Regina had stopped thinking of herself as Leopold's wife years before she had the strength and cunning to kill him. Snow and her ragtag group of commoners were the ones that had dubbed her the Evil Queen, a title the brunette had never accepted. Being Mayor had given her a hobby, but nothing approaching happiness.

And then suddenly, there was Henry. He had brought with him joy in the small things, the unimportant things, and the desire to be more than just a simple villain. Replacing her need for Snow's blood with something bright and endearing. He made her want to be worthy of him. To be the new hero in his misplaced fairytales and see herself through his rose-tinted eyes.

Thoughts of Emma followed closely behind those of their son. Dwelling on the blonde's unique ability to be both infuriating and sincere all at once, a smile tugged whimsically on blood red lips. How the Sheriff had somehow slipped inside the brunette's defenses, bringing with her such wonderful chaos that Regina could no longer call her world whole without Snow's daughter there.

And Regina loved her. Loved her in a way that defied logic or reason. Loved her with such fierceness that it took the very breath from her chest. She ached to see hazel eyes every morning, latching onto the pale, lean frame every night as the darkness closed in. It was True Love. The brunette tasted it on Emma's lips and skin, could see it spark between them with each beautiful caress…

It utterly flew in the face of all that she had ever been told on the subject of that _one, true love_.

The imp watched his former apprentice quietly for several minutes before continuing. "My point is, as the life changes, so does the heart. Losing Daniel in and of itself didn't blacken your soul, but it blinded you to all other possibilities. Emma has undone a lot, and taken away a fair bit of your darker nature with it."

Here, his smile turned cruel. "Which makes you a far easier target dearie."

"Love is weakness."

"Sometimes."

"What would happen to someone who had it suddenly taken away?"

"Well, I think you'd know the particular answer better than anyone."

22-22-22

She was still stiff, a deep soreness radiating from her joints. The Elf Queen struggled, stumbling as her coordination and strength lapsed. Weyland never touched her however, knowing that pride wouldn't allow for his help. But some things wouldn't wait, and Cora was definitely one of them.

She had combed through the many kingdoms searching for Regina's mother. Sending convoys and elfish trackers, Etain had made it her personal mission to find the now dethroned Queen of Hearts. Until finally, after so many months of searching, one of her scouts had heard tell of a witch on the outskirts of the Northern Tribes, hidden away in the woods like a hermit.

And so here they were, her small group of guards. And Weyland.

The small group of guards froze, becoming eerily still in the fading light. Muscles screaming with the sudden lack of motion, Etain crept forward with infinite slowness. Smoke trailed in gentle wisps from the cottage's solitary chimney.

"Are you sure about this?"

Her General's voice was soft, as was the hand that rested questioningly on her forearm.

"What other explanation is there? My love for Regina holds no reason." Golden eyes trailed back towards the solitary cottage. "And my father told me of his bargain with Cora, gods know what that entailed."

She looked up to smile reassuringly at him, but the smile never reached her eyes. They're relationship had taken on a sad hue, their easy intimacy having vanished after their time in Storybrooke. He had been there, as he always would be, but as nothing more than a close confidant. Even Odelina had noticed the pensive looks and stiff touches. Sadness lay over them like a suffocating blanket.

For now though, the Fay Queen had more to worry on than just the fate of her friendship. Pushing through the clumped bushes, Etain walked towards the door slowly, Nothung hanging loosely in her left hand. Just as she raised her hand to knock haltingly at the thick, ancient door, it opened slowly to reveal an empty sitting room.

She crossed the threshold slowly, wearily. Fear made her throat tighten as she fought to swallow convulsively. The door shut with a thud, the space filling with bursting light and swirling blue mist. Nothung sparked to life to burn painfully in Etain's battle-roughened palm. And just as suddenly, the elf was no longer alone. Cora stood regally, her larger than life presence filling the cramped space with power.

Regina's mother merely smiled. "My, my, my, look at what's come calling."

The smaller woman gritted her teeth. "I've come to demand that you undo my father's curse."

Cora's smile widened, something dark tugging at her features. Etain felt her stomach tighten and for the first time in her life, she felt truly helpless. It had taken a half-dozen of them to take her down in Maine, and Etain had decided to face the old witch on her own.

"What makes you think I can't give you something more? Something you truly want more than to protect old friends?"

Deep blue smoke swirled as Etain reached forward in panic, engulfing the old woman, forcing the fay to blink rapidly as it stung and clawed at her eyes. Still she held on, knowing Cora wouldn't be able to transport them both away. The smoke cleared slowly, revealing Regina in all her former glory. And she was truly beautiful swathed in deep blues and black, teeth glimmering with a uniquely predatory smile.

This was the woman Etain loved, not the halfway house of a human being that Emma Swan was slowly corrupting into something good. The fay Queen had lost that woman to the Sherriff, but this version of Regina was solely hers. Etain's knees instantly grew weak, something primal and wanting slithering along her spine.

Cora leaned close, Regina's deep red lips parting. Etain's breath caught as Regina's mouth came crashing into hers.

"There is so much more I could offer you."

Etain couldn't help but wonder. A substitute, one that was far more in tune with the reckless cruelty the fay was used to, would serve just as well as the original. And her body thrummed, only caring to know, touch and taste, regardless of Regina's falseness. And somehow, Cora sensed it; the elf's destructive desire.

Her armor fell away with a muted crash as Cora's hands snaked under the fay's tight fitting leathers. The touch was rough, devoid of gentleness. It was perfect and everything that Etain cared to remember. She buried her hands into raven colored hair, pulling the brunette's lips close once more.

With a simple tug at the elaborate lacework that dominated the front of the dress, the witch's garment fell away completely. Regina's skin was luminous and untouched by the years of hatred and war. Every scar that Etain had spent their one night together tracing with her fingers and lips were gone. Something akin to panic started to slink into the back of the elf's mind.

The body before her was a complete fabrication.

Regina's hands had wandered up to Etain's shoulders. The fay's shirt opened like skin taken by a razor. Newly healed and ugly in its starkness, Etain's scarred chest was almost grotesque against silvery white skin. Regina pulled back, her dark eyes stained with violet. Dark lips quirked into a smile as Cora marveled at the Evil Queen's handiwork. She leaned closer, her breath tickling the overly sensitive skin.

"Beautiful."

Etain felt distinctly like prey, knowing that her weakness had been laid bare to the mid-day sun. Regina's hands were wonderfully possessive, cupping newly bared breasts. Without warning, Etain's mouth was taken again, teeth and tongues battling. The human hands on her were becoming more insistent and the elf found herself unwilling to deny them. Her body's response was overwhelming.

As Regina moved lower, hardened nipples dragging over the Fay Queen's bare stomach, Etain struggled to keep her head clear. The brunette was now on her knees; delicate fingers tugging at Etain's forest colored trousers. The Queen glanced down, aching to see Regina's hungry, teasing smile. Instead, her brown eyes looked dead, devoid of anything more than detached curiosity. It filled Etain with a sudden, consuming feeling of wrongness. She tried to shrug the crouching woman away, hands pulling at Regina's bare shoulders.

Reality came crowding in, robbing Etain of the ability to pretend, ripping away the façade. Cora sat back on her haunches, naked and scowling. Etain tried to step back and away from the witch as she pulled her clothing together. Regina's mother simply stood, menace in every movement. The fay drew her sword slowly, eyes locked on the snake in front of her.

Cora came rushing forward, clawing at the air as her hands made complex gestures of spellbinding. Power slammed into the Queen's chest with such force that it robbed her of breath. Her head now clear, the elf threw forward her will, her magic clattering against Cora's onslaught.

Already weakened, the human woman staggered back, feet tangling in the discarded dress that littered the floor. The old woman crashed into the hard-packed earthen floor with a painful thud. With a leap, the elf was on her in an instance, teeth and sword bared.

Nothung thrummed with power as Etain held it tightly against the old woman's throat. The Queen snarled, the sound emanated from deep within her chest. "Your curse. Release me."

Cora's head titled curiously. "What exactly did your father tell you?"

"That he paid you a very heavy price to keep Regina away from me."

The old witch's face grew hard. "I did what was best for my daughter. If in so doing it robbed her of love's weakness, then all the better. But I never cursed you my dear. I had Regina…what on earth would I need you for?"

The elf's grip loosened, understanding dawning. "You tricked him. You already had Regina under your control, there was no more magic to be wrought."

The old woman's face took on an all-too familiar mask. "I didn't trick him. Your father was a fool."

Her rage was instant and fierce. And Nothung followed her lead. It cut into sagging skin with ease, parting the tissue between jaw and throat. Cora's stolen elven magic sparked in defense, shielding her body from the edge of Nothung's blade. And Etain pounced on it in earnest as she recognized her family's will and magic.

Fingers clenching around the bleeding wound at Cora's throat, the Fay Queen called to her father's power. The human woman's blood sang with it, helping Etain reach deep into Regina's mother as she chased its source. And there, nestled in the place her heart should be, the Queen of Hearts held what was left of King Auberon. With a growl, the elf tore it free of the aging prison.

Its power set every nerve on fire. Scolding pain made Etain's limbs jerk frightfully, eyes lighting with magic. She cupped the old woman's chin with bloodstained fingers, forcing her to lift her darkly colored eyes. "My father's magic is yours no more. If I ever lay eyes on you again, I will take your life with my teeth."

The elf cleared the door in three easy strides, magic pouring form her in painful surges. Etain made it to the tree line that framed the small cottage before her strength left her entirely. She was never meant to have such power, not at her age. The royal line had always been drip-fed their magic, ensuring that wickedness and insanity were kept at bay.

It was utterly intoxicating. For the first time in her life, she truly understood the seductive lure that Regina had faced every day of her dark reign. She was struck with how easy it would be to simply reach out and bend the many realms to her will. To bend more than just the realms…to control every living creature that graced the almost infinite lands. Images swirled of Storybrooke's Mayor beside her, the two of them taking more than just each other.

And for the briefest of moments, she wondered what destroying Emma Swan would feel like. If feeling the Sheriff's blood seep through her fingers would stain them in the same way as the red clay that made up their fay lands. She ached to see the life leave her sea green eyes. The thoughts filled her with such deep satisfaction…

A strong hand landed lightly on her shoulder. Etain looked up into her general's concerned face. "Come with me my love." The Queen's answering smile was devoid of affection. Her once beautiful eyes were gone, replaced with the silvery shine of absolute power and raw magic. Fear slithered up his spine to settle icily beneath his ribs.

Rising onto strangely sturdy feet, Etain's gaze never left her prey. "I think its time we stop dancing around each other, don't you?"

The end…for now.

**Author's Note: **I know this has been a bit of an unconventional story, and for those that struck around, thanks.


End file.
